First Chinese American Woman Elected to Congress

In 1875, the Page Law was enacted to severely limit the entry of Chinese immigrant women to the United States. The law was all a part of the goal of restrict the growth of the Chinese immigrant population in the U.S. and to subject the community to severe control. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was also interpreted in a manner to reduce Chinese women immigrants along with other Chinese laborers.

“You’ve come a long way.” On Tuesday, Judy Chu became the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. Congratulations!!!

Jean Meri writes in the LA Times:

On Tuesday, adding to a 24-year political career launched on a local school board, Chu became the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. She won a special election — with nearly 62% of the vote — to succeed longtime ally Hilda Solis, now U.S. Labor secretary, in the 32nd Congressional District.

She won this election in much the same way she posted earlier victories — expanding on her Asian base (about 13% of voters in the congressional district) to win support among Latinos (who make up almost half of the registered voters in the district), organized labor (a major element in the largely working-class district) and women. Her years on the Garvey School Board and the Monterey Park City Council and representing a local Assembly district made her a trusted household name among San Gabriel Valley political leaders, many of whom crossed party and ethnic lines to support her. Click here for the whole story.

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