LOS ANGELES—ANC-PAC-endorsed candidate Dr. Judy Chu won a special election to fill the Congressional seat vacated by Hilda Solis, who is now US Labor Secretary. Chu became the first Chinese-American to be elected to Congress.
On the eve of her anticipated victory, supporters of the Armenian National Committee – Political Action Committee attended a fundraiser for Chu.
“We are pleased to have endorsed Judy Chu’s campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives,” remarked ANC-PAC Chairman Armen Martin. “She will be a firm advocate on behalf of the human rights issues her Armenian American constituents care deeply about. Specifically, she is sensitive to the need for better ties between Armenia and the United States, particularly in the face of Turkey’s multi-million dollar lobbying effort to isolate Armenia and deny the Armenian Genocide,” Martin added.
Participating in the fundraiser were ANC-PAC supporters Michael Mahdesian, Vatche Derderian and Raffi Hamparian. The event, which was held at the Ocean Star restaurant in Monterey Park, included the participation of over 700 Judy Chu supporters.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to swear-in Chu on July 16 as the newest member of the House Democratic Caucus.
California’s 32nd Congressional District covers parts of Los Angeles County, notably East Los Angeles, El Monte, Duarte, Monterey Park and West Covina. The Armenian American community is represented in broad parts of the Congressional District, most notably in Duarte.
Before her election, Chu served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization, which is the nation’s only elected tax authority. In that post she has worked to close special interest tax loopholes, protect small businesses and to administer the collection of $53 billion in state taxes and fees. Prior to this elected office, Chu was a member of the California State Assembly from 2001 to 2006. Chu has also served as a city councilmember and mayor of Monterey Park and previous to that as a member of the Garvey School District in the San Gabriel Valley. The congressional candidate has a Ph.D. in Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Judy and her husband, Assembly Member Mike Eng, reside in Monterey Park.
The ANC-PAC is a non-partisan federally registered political action committee established to support political candidates who share the values of the Armenian American community. For more information, you may logon to www.ancpac.org.