LOS ANGELES — An Asian American is vying to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District, considered one of the most liberal and wealthiest areas in the United States.
State Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) sought the opportunity to run on the federal level after the seat, which covers the city’s Westside up until the South Bay, opened up after Rep. Henry Waxman announced that he would not seek re-election after over 40 years in Congress.
The race at one point featured 18 candidates, such as former LA mayoral candidate Wendy Gruel and author and spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson, who garnered media attention surrounding her candidacy. It has since chiseled down to Lieu and his Republican challenger, Elan S. Carr, LA County deputy district attorney.
Since the district has been represented by a Democrat for four decades, many see that Lieu has an upper hand to take over the seat. He has received notable endorsements, like from LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and from the Democratic Party. However, Carr, who run the primary in June, is still putting up a fight leading up to Nov. 4.
“I’ve got long days meeting with voters,” Lieu said of his final days campaigning. “But also we’re trying to respond to Super PACs that recently came in and are spending $700,000 attacking us for my opponent.”
One Super PAC supporting Carr began mailing out flyers to district residents — many of whom are Jewish — that compared Lieu to Hamas and the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Lieu, who has served as state Senator since 2011 and state assemblyman prior to that, said running for public office is his way to give back to the United States.
“Like many Filipino Americans, I am an immigrant,” shared Lieu, who migrated to the United States from Taiwan at 3 years old. “When my parents [moved] here, we actually grew up and started off living in the basement of someone’s home and we were poor.”
His parents who grew their own business were able to uplift themselves to a middle-class status and send Lieu and his brother to quality schools, thus achieving the “American Dream.”
“That’s one reason why I joined the US Air Force on Active Duty because I believe I can never give back to America everything that the country has given to us,” Lieu remarked. Lieu is ranked Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserves, and has received various accolades for his service.
Similarly, Carr shares his own version of the American Dream. According to an article published in the Los Angeles Times earlier this month, Carr also comes from a family of immigrants and served on US Central Command in Iraq.
During the debate organized by radio station KPCC and the University of Southern California on Oct. 22, both candidates expressed similar views on US-Israeli relations — that Israel has a right to defend itself — and immigration reform.
“We’ve got to secure our borders, but we also have to have a sensible and humane approach to the many undocumented residents who are here in this country who are decent, hardworking, and patriotic people,” Carr said during the debate. “There’s got to be a pathway to legalized status.”
Lieu, who was an ardent supporter for California’s DREAM Act and a bill that allowed DREAMers to become lawyers, stated that immigration reform would aid the economic situation of the country.
However, the two diverted on issues, such as minimum wage and the US response to ISIS.
“Income inequality is growing and that’s a huge problem. That’s why I am a supporter of the minimum wage increase. I support President Obama’s call to increase it to $10.10 on the federal. In California, I voted for the minimum wage increase to go $9 this year and $10 next year,” Lieu told the Asian Journal.
Carr, on the other hand, charged that raising minimum wage would stunt business growth and hinder job creation. Further, he noted that sending troops to fight ISIS should be under consideration, while Lieu was opposed to the idea.
“There were a lot of issues that we have done well in California, but we really a really, comprehensive federal solution,” Lieu said, of his motivation to run for Congress.
Filipina American Melissa Ramoso, who has worked for Lieu for seven years as senior district representative and campaign coordinator, shared how Lieu has shown his commitment to diversity and advocating for minorities, especially Asian American Pacific Islanders, to receive funding.
“He is the only candidate [in the race] who has held an elected position. He knows how to create, pass legislation and what issues that are important to his constituency,” said Ramoso, noting how Lieu has grown as a legislator throughout his political career.
Specifically in the Filipino community in Southern California, Lieu has helped increase funding for adult day health care centers — which are used by Filipino senior citizens — and expressed support for organizations like Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), and FilAm Arts.
“My favorite candy is Choconut,” he jokes.
“I’m excited to see what he can do on the federal level,” Ramoso added.
If elected to Congress, Lieu wants to be remembered for his time in California state politics as someone who was a “fighter for those with no voice.”
“Anyone can do my job if they want to help someone like Goldman Sachs,” Lieu said. “But helping those with no voice is much harder.”
(LA WEEKEND November 1-4, 2014 Sec. A page 1)
