From the Queens Courier:
A Democratic Assembly hopeful in a primary race already dividing ethnic lines fears a split Korean community could give the Chinese candidate a golden ticket to the general election.
Myungsuk Lee, who is vying for the potentially open and brewing 40th Assembly District race, expects to face an uphill battle with fellow Korean candidate — and county pick — Ron Kim.
“The Korean community is a little divided between Ron Kim and me,” said Lee, 49, of Flushing. “Their votes are really divided. I don’t think it’s easy to unify them because I will keep running. I won’t give up, and the other candidate won’t give up.”
Kim, a 33-year-old South Korean-born community activist, has the backing of the Queens County Democratic Organization and City Comptroller John Liu. The Flushing resident was an aide to then-Assemblymember Mark Weprin before moving on to work for the city’s Department of Buildings and the Department of Small Business Services, serving also as vice president of the Korean American Association of Greater New York.
Lee, owner and publisher of the tabloid newspaper Korean American Times, is the president of the Federation of Korean American Associations in Greater New York and former president of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of New York and the Korean American Association of Queens.
While each candidate eyeing the seat will still have to garner enough petitions to make it on to the ballot, Lee and Kim expect to face off with Chinese contender Ethel Chen.
4 comments:
Maybe if we voted for candidates based on their qualifications rather than where their grandfather was born or how much money they can extort from special interests we'd have better government?
will the donations flow in to Queens from North or South Korea ,this time ?
I heard all three Dem candidates speak at a rally this weekend and have to say...a little bit of English goes a long way. I hate to say that it comes down to something so basic (esp coming from an immIgrant family), but Ron Kim was the only candidate for this seat that I could actually understand, and the only one i think could effectively communicate the needs of the district.
The 40th AD is really lucky to have an amazing and qualified candidate like Ron Kim running for the seat. Ron is someone with the experience, the network, and the ability to represent the district in the legislature. He knows the policy, grew up in the district, and is tied to the community in a way that will be positive for the API community as a whole.
I hate when asians are pitted agains asians in the media. it makes it seem like our communities don't get along when we actually do. I find it a way to diminish our power.
As a Chinese American, I feel that Ron has the background and shared cultural values that make him someone I wholeheartedly support. He has the endorsements of most of New York's Chinese Electeds, and he understands where we come from. He knows what it's like to grow up with an immigrant family background, he understands how our communities work better together than apart, and he shares the same values about respecting and caring for our elderly alongside providing education and opportunities for our youth.
I really like this guy and I think he would be an excellent choice for New York's first Korean American Assembly member.
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