New York City Republican Asian American Candidates Reach Record High

Asian American voters, dissatisfied with the various left-leaning policies of the Democratic Party, are gradually turning towards the Republican Party. This year, the number of Asian American candidates running for the Republican Party in New York City is set to reach a historic high, with at least 10 Asian Americans vying for representation in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

Anthony Nunziato, the chairman of the Republican Party in Queens, stated that Asian Americans stepping up to run for office have injected new vitality into the party. According to the New York Post, these Asian American Republican candidates have expressed that their decision to run is primarily driven by several concerns, including the rising crime rates, deteriorating quality of life, uncontrolled immigration crisis, and the continuous erosion of the merit-based admissions system that communities value, which progressive factions justify under the guise of equality.

Yiatin Chu, chairperson of the Asian Wave Alliance, will be representing the Republican Party in a challenge against Toby Ann Stavisky, a Democratic Party state senator in Queens. Chu stated that the Democratic Party’s misguided policies, such as cashless bail and raising the age of criminal prosecution from 16 to 18, have contributed to the chaotic surge in crime rates in the city.

Steve Chan, a former US Marine and retired NYPD sergeant, will be challenging Iwen Chu, the incumbent Democratic Party state senator in Brooklyn. A 57-year-old resident of Bensonhurst, Chan expressed that the “final straw” that prompted his candidacy was the conversion of the James Madison High School gymnasium in the community into an emergency shelter for undocumented immigrants. As an immigrant himself, he is not against immigration but opposes unguarded borders and bail reform. Both he and Yiatin Chu support expanding specialized high schools and gifted programs, as well as increasing charter schools.

Philip Wang, a physician, will be challenging Ron Kim, the incumbent Democratic Party state assemblyman in Flushing. Kim narrowly won re-election last time and acknowledged the dissatisfaction of Asian American voters with the Democratic Party. While Kim argued that the recently passed New York state budget strengthens public safety, Wang questioned Kim’s lack of solutions to address the crime issue, emphasizing that voters must take matters into their own hands.

Other Asian American Republican candidates include:

(1) Incumbent Republican state assemblyman Lester Chang seeking re-election, facing off against former Democratic Party incumbent Peter Abbate in a rematch;

(2) Joseph Chou challenging Grace Meng, the Democratic Party congresswoman representing Queens;

(3) Chinese pastor Helen Qiu challenging Grace Lee, the Democratic Party state assemblywoman in Chinatown;

(4) Daniel Mais challenging Joe Addabbo, the Democratic Party state senator in Queens;

(5) Nily Rozic, the Democratic Party state assemblywoman in Queens, facing challenges from Kenneth Paek, Kenneth Chiu, and Steven Wang, all running as Republicans. Chiu, who was previously a Democrat and failed to challenge Ron Kim within the party last time, is making a comeback as a Republican candidate this time.