Representative-Elect Joseph Cao
Who would have thought that an unknown Vietnamese-American immigration attorney with a strong Saturday election and $90,000 hidden in a freezer would soon lead to the first Vietnamese-American in the United States Congress.
On Saturday December 6, 2008 – Louisiana 2nd Congressional District voters voted in Anh “Joseph” Cao, a republican, into the House of Representatives. The 2nd Congressional District encompassing most of New Orleans, up-seated long-time incumbent William Jefferson after Federal investigators found $90,000 in bribe money stashed in his freezer.
Interestingly enough, for a state full of racially discriminatory history, Louisiana has now elected a Vietnamese-American congressman shortly after electing Indian-American Bobby Jindal as their governor. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, it’s refreshing to see new Asian-American politics.
On Cao himself:
Cao says he understands the “melting pot” nature of his adopted state.
He came to the United states in 1975 at the age of 8 along with an older sister and younger brother. His parents and five other siblings had to stay behind in Vietnam as it fell to the communists.
His father, who was an officer in the South Vietnamese army, spent seven years in a communist prison. It wasn’t until 1991 that his family was reunited in the United States.
Cao says that it is important to have a Vietnamese-American in Congress to be a voice for the 1.5 million Vietnamese in the United States, and that his experience as an immigration attorney can bring a needed insight to the hotly debated issue of immigration.
He says he considers himself a moderate, fiscally conservative Republican. Cao says there is Asian tradition to be frugal, but he is more moderate when it comes to issues like immigration and gay rights, although he does not support same-sex marriage.
Source: CNN.com
Although few Asian-Americans have entered into US Politics, with little sign of an immenent surge, Representative-elect Joseph Cao joins the following list of Asian-American Congressmen and women.
- 1957-1963 House: Dalip Singh Saund (D-California)
- 1959-1963 House, 1963-Present Senate: Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
- 1959-1977 House: Hiram Fong (R-Hawaii)
- 1963-1977 House; 1977-1990 Senate: Spark Matsunga (D-Hawaii)
- 1965-1977, 1990-2002 House: Patsy Mink (D-Hawaii)
- 1975-1995 House: Norman Mineta (D-California)
- 1977-1990 House: Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)
- 1977-1983 House: Samuel I. Hayakawa (R-California)
- 1979-2005 House: Bob Matsui (D-California)
- 1987-1991 House: Patricia Saiki (R-Hawaii)
- 1990-Present Senate: Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii)
- 1993-1999 House: Jay Kim (R-California)
- 1993-Present House: Robert C. Scott (D-Virginia)
- 1998-Present House: David Wu (D-Oregon)
- 2001-Present House: Mike Honda (D-California)
- 2005-2007 House: Bobby Jindal (R-Louisiana)
- 2005-Present House: Doris matsui (D-California)
- 2007-Present House: Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
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you are such a history nerd, i love it.
i know, you are so amazing. it’s spellbounding.