At least 19 Fil-Ams win in US midterm elections

At least 19 Filipino-Americans won electoral posts, including seats in the Hawaii State Legislature and in the California Supreme Court, during the United States midterm polls this month. Democrat Donna Mercado Kim was reelected as a state senator in District 14 in Hawaii, while fellow Filipino-American Democrats Della Au Bellati, Rida Cabanilla Arakawa and Will Espero were reelected to the State House of Representatives. Filipino-American Associate Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, a Republican, became the first woman, minority and Asian-American Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court after she garnered more than 3 million votes from her constituents. (See: FilAm wins California SC chief post; others shine in US polls) Other Filipino-Americans who won during the US midterm elections include:

• Rep. Kymberly Marcos Pine of 43rd District, Hawaii;
• Rep. Henry J.C. Aquino of 35th District, Hawaii;
• Delegate Kriselda Valderrama of District 26, Maryland;
• Mayor Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento, CA;
• Mayor Pete Sanchez of Suisun City in Solano County, CA;
• Mayor Jose Esteves of Milpitas in Santa Clara Country, CA;
• Michael Guingona, council member of Daly City in San Mateo County, CA;
• Joanne del Rosario, council member of Colma Town in San Mateo County, CA;
• Pat Gacoscos, council member of Union City in Alameda County, CA;
• Rob Banta, council member of Alameda City in Alameda County, CA;
• Myrna de Vera, council member of Hercules City in Contra Costa County, CA;
• Linda Canlas, board member in the New Haven Unified School District in Union City, CA;
• Hydra Mendoza, board member in the San Francisco Unified School District in San Francisco County, CA; and
• Mae Cendana Torlakson, board member in the Ambrose Recreation and Park Board in Bay Point, CA.

The opposition Republican party captured most seats in the US House of Representatives during the mid-term polls held on Wednesday (Manila time), while the ruling Democratic party maintained a slight lead in the Senate. Although only U.S. citizens are allowed to run for politics or vote in federal elections, some categories of non-citizens residing in the U.S. may be allowed to vote in state and local elections, depending on applicable state law. More than four million Filipinos live and work in the United States, according to the US State Department.—With Andreo C. Calonzo/JV/HS, GMANews.Tv