Korean American candidates vie for congressional, gubernatorial seats in U.S. midterms

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A number of Korean American candidates are vying for congressional and gubernatorial seats in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections, with attention focused on Rep. Young Kim's unusual contest against a fellow Republican incumbent in California.

Reps. Dave Min of California and Marilyn Strickland of Washington state, along with Dan Koh of Massachusetts, are competing in Democratic-leaning congressional districts, while Kim faces fellow party incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, a 17-term Republican veteran, following congressional redistricting.

The redistricting turned Calvert's former 41st district into more favorable territory for Democrats, prompting him to challenge Kim in the neighboring 40th District, which covers parts of Orange and Riverside counties.

In California's June primary, Calvert secured 34.9 percent of the vote, compared with Kim's 20.6 percent, allowing both Republicans to advance to the general election under the state's top-two primary system.

The race has highlighted differences in the candidates' political positioning, with Calvert emphasizing his support for U.S. President Donald Trump and his "Make America Great Again" movement, while Kim has sought to appeal to more moderate voters, according to local public broadcaster KVCR.

This Associated Press file photo shows U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Campaign finance disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission showed that Kim's campaign had raised US$10.15 million and spent $10.97 million as of Oct. 14, compared with $7.05 million raised and $6.33 million spent by Calvert's campaign.

Min is seeking reelection in California's 47th district, which election analysts consider solidly Democratic. He received 45.4 percent of the vote in the June primary, nearly double the share secured by his Republican opponent.

Strickland, seeking a fourth term in Washington's 10th district, is also running in a district rated solidly Democratic by the Cook Political Report.

Born to a Korean mother and an American father who served in the 1950-53 Korean War, Strickland previously served eight years as mayor of Tacoma, and currently serves as secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus and whip of the New Democrat Coalition.

Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) speaks during an event celebrating Korean American Day in Washington, D.C., in this file photo from Jan. 9, 2025. (Yonhap)

Strickland faces Republican Chris Chung, another Korean American candidate. Chung, a pharmacist, previously ran for Washington state insurance commissioner in 2024.

In Massachusetts' 6th District, Koh, a former White House official during former President Joe Biden's administration and Boston mayoral aide, is competing against Republican Micah Quinney Jones, an attorney and military veteran.

Koh, whose father is Korean and mother is Lebanese, has family roots in South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju. His grandfather previously worked at the South Korean Embassy in Washington.

In Oklahoma, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cyndi Munson is seeking to make history by becoming the first Korean American governor in U.S. history in a traditionally Republican stronghold. She faces Republican Mike Mazzei in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Munson, the first Asian American woman elected to the Oklahoma Legislature, currently serves as the state House Democratic leader.

Cyndi Munson, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate for the U.S. state of Oklahoma, is seen in this photo captured from the website of her campaign. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

odissy@yna.co.kr (END)

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Korean American candidates vie for congressional, gubernatorial seats in U.S. midterms

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华盛顿，11月3日（韩联社）——在周二举行的美国中期选举中，多位韩裔美国候选人正在角逐国会和州长席位，其中最引人注目的是众议员金英（Young Kim）与加州另一位共和党现任议员之间不同寻常的竞争。

加利福尼亚州的众议员戴夫·明、华盛顿州的众议员玛丽莲·斯特里克兰以及马萨诸塞州的众议员丹·科在民主党占优势的国会选区展开竞争，而金在国会选区重新划分后，将面对同党现任众议员肯·卡尔弗特，这位共和党资深议员已连任 17 届。

重新划分选区后，卡尔弗特原先的第 41 选区变成了对民主党更有利的地区，这促使他挑战邻近的第 40 选区的金，该选区覆盖了奥兰治县和河滨县的部分地区。

在加州 6 月的初选中，卡尔弗特获得了 34.9% 的选票，而金获得了 20.6% 的选票，根据该州的两强初选制度，这两位共和党人得以晋级大选。

据当地公共广播公司 KVCR 报道，这场竞选凸显了候选人在政治立场上的差异，卡尔弗特强调他对美国总统唐纳德·特朗普及其“让美国再次伟大”运动的支持，而金则试图吸引更温和的选民。

这张美联社资料照片显示的是美国众议员金英（加州共和党籍）。（照片不得出售）（韩联社）

向联邦选举委员会提交的竞选财务披露文件显示，截至 10 月 14 日，金的竞选活动筹集了 1015 万美元，支出 1097 万美元，而卡尔弗特的竞选活动筹集了 705 万美元，支出 633 万美元。

闵正在寻求连任加州第47选区的众议员，选举分析人士认为该选区是民主党的铁票仓。他在6月的初选中获得了45.4%的选票，几乎是其共和党对手得票率的两倍。

斯特里克兰正在华盛顿州第 10 选区寻求第四个任期，而根据库克政治报告，该选区也是民主党的稳固票仓。

斯特里克兰的母亲是韩国人，父亲是美国人，曾参加过 1950-53 年的朝鲜战争。他曾担任塔科马市市长八年，目前担任国会黑人议员团秘书和新民主党联盟党鞭。

这张摄于2025年1月9日的资料照片显示，华盛顿州民主党众议员玛丽莲·斯特里克兰在华盛顿特区举行的韩裔美国人日庆祝活动上发表讲话。（韩联社）

斯特里克兰的对手是共和党候选人克里斯·钟，钟也是一位韩裔美国人。钟是一名药剂师，曾于2024年竞选华盛顿州保险专员。

在马萨诸塞州第六选区，曾任前总统乔·拜登执政时期白宫官员和波士顿市长助理的科赫，正在与共和党候选人、律师兼退伍军人米卡·奎尼·琼斯竞争。

高某的父亲是韩国人，母亲是黎巴嫩人，他的家族根源在韩国南部度假胜地济州岛。他的祖父曾任职于韩国驻华盛顿大使馆。

在俄克拉荷马州，民主党州长候选人辛迪·芒森（Cyndi Munson）力图创造历史，成为美国历史上首位在传统共和党票仓俄克拉荷马州担任州长的韩裔美国人。她将与共和党候选人迈克·马泽伊（Mike Mazzei）角逐，以接替任期届满的州长凯文·斯蒂特（Kevin Stitt）。

芒森是第一位当选俄克拉荷马州立法机构的亚裔美国女性，目前担任州众议院民主党领袖。

这张照片截取自美国俄克拉荷马州民主党州长候选人辛迪·芒森的竞选网站。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

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韩裔美国候选人角逐美国中期选举的国会议员和州长席位