Asian American candidates in Illinois aim to break state records — and ‘the bamboo ceiling’

Asian American candidates and officials pose at an Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch in Springfield in August. Seated front row, left to right: Appellate Court candidate Sonni Choi Williams; Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Josina Morita, who is running for Cook County Board seat; U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth; state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago; and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. Standing, left to right: Illinois House candidate Hoan Huynh, Illinois House candidate Kevin Olickal, state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington; state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago; Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, Illinois House candidate Nabeela Syed, Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Grace Hou, who is not running for elective office, and Ald. Nicole Lee (11th). (Photo by Lee Milner)

It took 174 years for Chicagoans to elect the first Asian American to sit in the City Council – and nearly two centuries for Illinois voters to send the first member of the community to Congress.

Today, at least 10 Asian Americans hold elective offices across the state — two representing Illinois in the nation’s capital. And voters will get a chance to dramatically increase those previously slow-growing numbers in elections this year and the next.