CHICAGO (jGLi) – While President Obama won his bid for a second term defeating Governor Romney in key states, at least seven of about 41 Filipino American candidates also won in Tuesday’s elections.
Research conducted by Journal Group Link International showed that the winners are incumbent African American Rep. Robert Cortez “Bobby” Scott, whose maternal grandfather is a Filipino American, won reelection for the 11th term as he turned back GOP challenger Dean Longo as Representative of the 3rd District of Virginia.
Filipino American Dr. Marisha Agana, a Republican running for the U.S. 13th newly-drawn Congressional of Ohio district, was soundly beaten by Democrat Tim Ryan, who collected 218,555 votes with 73% against Agana’s 82,799 votes or 27% with 88% precincts reporting.
Incumbent Vice Mayor of the City of Alameda, Rob Bonta, Alameda County Transportation Commissioner and Deputy City Attorney for the County of San Francisco, is likely to become the first Filipino American member of the non-partisan California State Assembly. He leads with 23,131 votes or 52.6% against his rival Abel Guillen with 20,851 votes or 47.4% in early returns for the 18th District. Both prefer Democratic Party.
Another Filipino American, optometrist Jennifer Ong, a greenhorn politician, is closely trailing Bill Quirk with 20,373 or 47.9% against Quirk’s 22,156 or 52.1%, as a member of the California State Assembly for the 20th District.
But current Vice Mayor of the City of Lathrop, Christopher Mateo, whose preferred party is Democrat, is losing 1-2 against Kristin Olsen, whose preferred party is Republican, by polling 23,361 votes or 36.6% against Olsen’s 40,393 or 63.4%.
Incumbent and five-time Mayor of the City of Milpitas, Jose Esteves, is going to be re-elected for the sixth time as he leads 3-1 his rival Rob Means, who collected 2,133 votes or 27.46%, against Esteves’ 5,634 votes or 72% in early voting.
NASOL, NAVARRO WIN
Retired college administrator Rudy Nasol is clobbering Jeremy Sumabon, 2-1, by polling 9,442 or 63.01% against Sumabon’s 5,542 or 36.99% with 35 of 58 precincts reporting.
Two-term Union City Council member Jim Navarro is going to be re-elected as Union City Council member with 4,009 or 69.04% against Jose Estrella with 1,750 votes or 30.14% with early precincts reporting.
Independent Leonard Tengco has wrapped up the position as Virginia Beach School Board member. He received 63,419 votes or 55.36% votes against fellow Independent Eric V. Wray, Jr., with 51,118 or 44.62% with 94 out of 95 precincts reporting.
Other Filipino Americans closely trailing their rivals are Milpitas City Planning Commissioner Alternate and Parks Recreation Atty. Garry Barbadillo, who is running to win one of two available positions as Milpitas City Council member with 2,351 votes or 17.15% at the third place. He is trailing Debbie Giordano with 2,915 votes or 21.27% and Carmen Montano with 2,534 votes or 18.49% with 3 of 29 precincts reporting. There are four other candidates bringing up the rear.
Another Filipino American Stewart Chen is also placing third for two of the City Council seats for Alameda by having 3,475 votes or 17.31%. Ahead of Chen are Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft with 5,135 votes or 25.57% and Tony Daysog with 3,586 or 17.86% with 14 of the 45 precincts reporting.
Two-term re-electionist Trustee Vince Songcayawon is losing his position as a member of the Evergreen School District Board of Trustees with 6,760 votes or 32.33% to front-runner Bonnie Mace with 8,271 votes or 39.56% with 26 of 50 precincts accounted for. Trailing behind is Balaji R. Venkatraman with 5,879 or 28.12%.
LOSING CAUSE & UNOPPOSED
Also losing is Hermy B. Almonte with 3,71 votes or 42.30% to Jim Prola with 4,386 votes or 56.84% as member of City Council, Dist. 6, San Leandro with 15 of 57 precincts reporting; Rebecca De La Cruz is losing as Daly City Clerk to K. Annette Hipona, who collected 7,912 votes or 60% with 19 of 34 precincts reporting; Thelma Boac is bringing up the rear with 15,343 or 16.03% against three other candidates ahead of her for the Governing Board of the East Side Union High School District; and Democrat Will Sylianteng, 151st District of Pennsylvania State House, collected 13,457 votes of 40.4%, against Todd Stephens with 19,879 votes or 59.6%.
Running unopposed are Atty. Jessica O’Brien, who garnered 90.71% of votes from 1,845 out of 2034 precincts for the vacant position vacated by Judge Henry Simmons, Jr. of the Cook County Circuit Court Judge in Illinois; Donna Mercado Kim, Dem., State Senate of Hawaii’s 14th District; Will Espero, Dem., State Senate, of Hawaii’s 19th District; Gil Keith-Agaran, Dem., State House, 9th District, and Henry Aquino, State House, 38th District, both of Hawaii.
As of presstime, results in Hawaii’s elections are still unavailable. Filipino Americans running for office in the state are former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano, who is running for mayor of Honolulu; Donovan de la Cruz, Dem, State Senate, 22nd District; Della au Belatti, Dem., State Senate, 24th District; Romy Cachola, Dem., State Senate, 30th District; Christ Manabat, Dem., 40th District; Rida Cabanilla-Arakawa, D, 41st District; Marissa Capelouto, Rep., 42nd
Kymberly Marcos Pine and Joey Manahan for Council seats, Chelsea Yagong for Council District 1. Gayong, Greggor Ilagan for council seat in Big Island; Ron Menor for 9th Council district; and Don Guzman for the council seat district of Kahului on the Maui County Council.
Also unaccounted for are results for Hydra Mendoza of the San Francisco School Board; Marilyn Mondejar for San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee and Wendy Ho for San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Area 5 Trustee. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
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PHOTO CAPTIONS
President Barack Obama
Alameda Vice Mayor Rob Bonta
