During a candidate endorsement lunch held on October 25 in Monterey Park, the Chinese-American Elected Officials (CEO) gathered to support local candidates as they near election day. Stan Liu, the president of CEO, highlighted that the event aims to provide a final boost for candidates while increasing the influence of Chinese-American representatives in local government.
The five endorsed candidates include Sabrina Bow, running for the Azusa City Council District 2; Tony Yeh for the Torrance Unified School District; David Fu for the Arcadia City Council District 1; Mindy Yeh for the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District District 2; and Kaylee Law for the Walnut City Council. The luncheon featured insights from seasoned political consultants Luis Alvarado and Andrew Pina, who shared election analysis, information on ballot return rates, voting trends, and last-minute campaign strategies to help candidates gain more supporters in the final days of their race.
The event attracted several community leaders, including Monterey Park Mayor Jack Huang, Arcadia City Councilmember Cheng Bo-rin, and San Gabriel City Councilmember Ding Yan-yu. Ding noted the improvement of road quality ratings from 52 to 82 during his term and expressed that public safety would be his top priority if re-elected.
If elected, Sabrina Bow would make history as the first Asian American city council member and the first female council member in 125 years for Azusa. Her platform focuses on enhancing public safety, maintaining cleanliness in the city, and supporting youth development. Meanwhile, Tony Yeh from Torrance emphasizes campus safety, innovative curricula, and teacher housing initiatives.
David Fu has previously served as chair of the Real Property Law Committee at the California Bar Association. Mindy Yeh, running for the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, is dedicated to water resource management and is the only candidate endorsed by the majority of current water commission members. Kaylee Law from Walnut holds a Master’s in Government Administration from Johns Hopkins University and aims to continue her family’s American dream.
Irvine mayoral candidate Lee Sun, who has served on the city’s investment advisory and finance committees for over 22 years, is focusing on public safety, improving traffic, increasing housing affordability, and addressing homelessness. His housing policy proposes downsizing new housing projects and carefully managing development. Hong Diana Zhao, a candidate for the Walnut City Council, plans to introduce more dog parks and walking trails, establish a diverse food plaza, and beautify city lighting while maintaining fiscal health.
This luncheon not only provided a platform for candidates to connect but also showcased the increasing enthusiasm of the Chinese-American community in participating in politics. Ding expressed a desire for such events to inspire more Chinese-Americans to engage in public affairs, ensuring that their voices are given greater consideration in policy-making at both local and federal levels.
The Chinese-American Elected Officials Association has grown from just a handful of members at its inception to over 50 today, reflecting the increasing engagement of Chinese-Americans in the American political landscape.
