Chinese Media Dissects Defeat of Mayoral Candidate John Liu
New York’s Chinese community does not appear ready for the post-Liu era.
New York’s Chinese community does not appear ready for the post-Liu era.
NYC Comptroller John Liu is a role model for Asian Americans. A federal investigation of his campaign fundraising practices has had a chilling effect on his possible mayoral campaign in 2013.
Asians Americans are divided over whether a federal investigation of New York City’s Comptroller will derail his potential bid to be the city’s first Asian mayor.
The redrawing of electoral districts is always a political power play. This year, Asian American activists in New York want to ensure that the community’s political influence is not dissipated by district lines.
Recent victories by Chinese candidates are helping the census drive this year, but New York’s Chinese community has already seen how the census count has helped to shape its political power in bitter and joyful ways.
[* Editor’s note: This article was amended to correct election results in the last paragraph.]
John C. Liu’s victory in the race for New York City comptroller on Tuesday marks the first time an Asian American has been elected to citywide office.
Ever since Liu won the Democratic nomination in a primary runoff on Sept. 29, excitement had been building in Asian neighborhoods — in Chinatown and Sunset Park, but especially in Flushing, Queens, the neighborhood where Liu lives and which he has represented for the last eight years in the city council. People constantly kept stopping him on the street to congratulate him.
“It takes a long time to walk now,” Liu said with a laugh recently.
Liu’s believes that his victory in the general election over Republican rival Joseph A. Mendola, and over three other Democratic candidates in the primary, was no accident. “We won this election in the streets,” he said, referring to his busy campaign schedule, which often included meeting average New Yorkers. Liu, 42, is also extremely meticulous and proper in his relations with people. He pays attention to the details and always returns phone calls from reporters.