Chinese-Americans aim to make impact on US election day   

美国华裔发力中期选举 或能改变美国政治版图

最新数据显示，包括华裔在内的亚裔参政热情开创国会中期选举年最高纪录，全美范围内共有22位亚裔国会议员候选人参加选举日最后角逐，2008年这一数字仅为13人。对华裔来说今年将是“丰收之年”.[查看全文]

(ECNS) -- Chinese-American political activism is on the rise in the US, as more Asian-American candidates are running for office in the upcoming midterm elections than ever before, according to China News Service.

The November election will include 22 Asian-American congressional candidates in 12 different states and territories. In the 2008 elections, only 13 Asian-American candidates ran for Congress.

It's a significant year for Chinese-Americans. Democratic State Senator Ted Lieu from California has won much support in his race for Congress, a poll has showed. If he wins, he will be the third Chinese-American in the House of Representatives.

It's a once in a decade opportunity for the Chinese-American community to send a member to Congress, according to Haipei Shue, president of the Council of Chinese-Americans.

Other Chinese-American faces are having a go at the national political realm, such as John Wang, from the state of Tennessee, who is working to win support from Asian-Americans in his race for state legislator.

Chinese-Americans have run for public office not only in states where Asian-American populations are concentrated, such as California and New York. Allan Fung, a candidate for governor of Rhode Island, is the state's first Chinese-American candidate for the post, even though Chinese don't take up a considerable portion of the state's population.

Bel Leong-Hong, chair of the Democratic National Committee's Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus, said the annual growth of registered Chinese-American voters since 2006 shows that they care about casting ballots and having their voices heard.

As long as they vote, they can impact the political realm, she said.

Clarence Lam, a Democratic Maryland House of Delegates candidate, said a Chinese-American president could be possible in 50 years.

Susan Lee, a Bethesda Democrat who has served in the House since 2002, said Chinese-Americans should get involved in politics and pave roads for the next generation.

Asian-Americans are the fastest growing racial group by percentage. In the 1970s, they made up a little over one percent of the US population. Now, Asian-Americans make up 5.6 percent, with Chinese (3.79 million) being the largest group.