While the news of Sukhee Kang’s candidacy for SD-29 broke last week might be old (I was out of town on business all last week; sorry readers), I hope to shed a little light on his announcement.
Kang led Irvine through the toughest years of the Bush-recession as Mayor. The city of Irvine used a hiring and wage freeze, plus a dip into reserves (which is what reserves are for), and emerged from the crisis faster than most cities without cutting services to residents a single bit. As the economy recovered before the end of Kang’s term, city reserves were fully restored.
Sukhee Kang was a very good mayor of Irvine.
He challenged John Campbell for Congress in a district where voter registration is overwhelmingly Republican; Campbell never even had to campaign and left Congress last year with a dismal legislative record so bad, even the OC GOP didn’t endorse him on the first round for the 201 election. Kang outperformed Democratic registered by 14 points — garnering 42 percent of the vote — where Democratric registration was only 29 percent.
The State Senate seat now held by Senator Bob Huff is an open seat in 2016. There’s a sizable Latino and Asian population. OJ blogger and perennial candidate Greg Diamond garnered 45 percent of the vote without running a serious and he got it because it was a presidential year and Democrats came out to vote. Kang is a tireless campaigner. He knows how to raise money and how to use it well. His opponent, Tim Shaw, a former mayor and current council member for the City of LaHabra, and often confused with Tim Shaw who used to run communications for the Great Park Corporation, has the conservative white guy vote locked up and may soon discover that Korean voters in the district don’t care so much for a conservative party affiliation as they do a candidate’s surname. State Rep. Young Kim’s win wasn’t so much an endorsement of her party as it was her last name.
I’ve heard a few comments about “carpetbagging.” Here’s where Kang is different from Young Kim. She rented an apartment in the district despite claiming another home outside the district on her taxes in 2012. Kang listed and sold his Irvine home in a single day and moved into a smaller house in Fullerton (down the street from former council member Pam Kellar we’re told). When you have adult children in their 30s, it really doesn’t make sense to wander around a big house in Irvine’s Northpark neighborhood. And for those in Kang’s old neighborhood who bought their homes in Irvine prior to the vote on the Airport vs. the Great Park, I’m sure there’s a very profitable home sale in your future thanks to the work of the Larry Agran-Beth Krom-Chris Mears-and-Sukhee Kang majorities. People forget sometimes what an airport can do to home values.
But the notion of Carpetbagging is a false argument. And frankly, while Kang served on the Great Park board, his term as mayor was far more focused on managing Irvine to safe waters during the Bush recession.
The biggest question I have moving forward is how Kang and Sharon Quirk-Silva work together to pool resources and excite voters. They are in a wonderful position to help each other. I’m also interested to see County Supervisor Michelle Steele, a personal friend of Kang’s, show some backbone to buck her party and endorse her friend. Republicans attacking Kang for “carpetbagging” will have to explain how Steele didn’t by running and winning a race for County Supervisor.
Another person happy to see Kang on the ballot is Irvine Mayor Steven Choi. Choi, a miserable fundraiser on his own though a huge beneficiary of developer-backed IEs, has a valuable tool for fundraising: Kang’s campaign financial statements. One of my Korean business associates complained to me about getting a call from Choi weeks after making a contribution to Kang, also seeking money. When it comes to Korean politicos in Irvine, Kang is the classy one not Choi.
Here’s the release from the Kang campaign followed by Kang’s list of endorsements:
Sukhee Kang, of Fullerton, a 38-year resident of Orange County and longtime local and state public official, announced today that he is running as a Democrat in the 29th Senate District.
“I am excited about bringing my background and experience in both the private and public sectors to serve the citizens of Senate District 29, “Kang said. “This very diverse district includes parts of three counties, and it deserves to have an advocate in the state Senate who will exercise strong bi-partisan leadership and fight for issues important to the residents who live here.”
“I am looking forward to campaigning door-to-door throughout the district, as I have always done in my campaigns,” he continued, “to meet voters where they live and listen to the concerns on their doorsteps.”
The 29th Senate District encompasses portions of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, and is currently represented by Sen. Bob Huff, a Republican from Diamond Bar and GOP minority leader in the Senate. He is prevented by term limits from running again in 2016, so the race to replace him will be for an open seat with no incumbent. More than 70 percent of the district is in Orange County.
Kang and his wife Joanne, both natives of South Korea, immigrated to America in 1977, settling in Orange County and starting a family. Kang began his career in retail sales for what became Circuit City, rising rapidly through the management ranks and winning awards due to his hard work and commitment to excellent customer service. He and his wife then became entrepreneurs, establishing several shoe stores in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, and building a highly successful retail business.
In 2004, Kang was elected to the Irvine City Council – a non-partisan position – then was elected mayor in 2008, becoming the first-ever Korean American mayor of a major U.S. city of more than 100,000 population. He was overwhelmingly re-elected mayor in 2010 with more than 64 percent of the vote. The Kangs now live in Fullerton.
In addition to his experience in city government, Kang has served as a gubernatorial appointee to the California Workforce Investment Board, and as a board member of the State Water Quality Control Board (Santa Ana Region), the Orange County Fire Authority, the Transportation Corridor Agencies, the Orange County Sanitation District and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).
Kang has been recognized numerous times for his outstanding public service and community leadership, including receiving the American Diabetes Association’s “Orange County Father of the Year Award” in 2012, the Carnegie Corporation’s “Pride of America” award in 2010, and the International Leadership Foundation’s “Public Servant of the Year” award in 2010. In 2009, Kang was recognized as one of the O.C. Metro’s “Hot 25 Platinum Civic Leaders.”
Kang graduated from Korea University with a degree in agricultural economics, and in 2011 was awarded an honorary doctorate from Dongseo University in Busan, Korea. He also has served a special advisor to the chancellor of UC Irvine, and as an adjunct professor and Chancellor Fellow at Chapman University.
The Kang children, Alan, 34, and Angie, 32, attended public schools in Anaheim, where the Kang family lived for 10 years. Alan, a graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, is a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Angie, a graduate of Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall), is senior counsel at Hulu.
ENDORSEMENTS OF SUKHEE KANG for state senate
(List growing; please check kangforsenate.com for up-to-date list)
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom
California State Treasurer John Chiang
California State Controller Betty Yee
State Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma
Former California Democratic Party (CDP) Chair Art Torres (1996-2009)
CDP Filipino American Democratic Caucus State Chair Melissa Ramoso
U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar
U.S. Rep. and Chair, Asian Pacific American Congressional Caucus, Judy Chu
U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn
U.S. Rep. Mike Honda
U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu
U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal
U.S. Rep. Mark Takano
Former U.S. Rep. and Coast Colleges District Trustee Jerry Patterson
State Senator Carol Liu
State Senator Richard Pan
Former State Senator and Orange County Supervisor Lou Correa
State Assemblymember Rob Bonta
State Assemblymember Ed Chau
State Assemblymember David Chiu
Former State Assemblymember Hector De La Torre
Former State Assemblymember and LA Community College Board Member Mike Eng
Former Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem Lorri Galloway
Buena Park Mayor Art Brown
President of Centralia School District Board of Trustees Steve Harris
Centralia School District Trustee Art Montez
Centralia School District Trustee Connor Traut
Former Cerritos Mayor and City Councilmember Joseph Cho
Former Cerritos Mayor and City Councilmember Mark Pulido
Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen
Garvey School District Board Member
Henry Lo
Former Fullerton City Councilmember Pam Keller
La Habra City Councilwoman Rose Espinoza
Former La Habra City School District Trustee Sharon H. Brown
Former La Habra City School District Trustee Nancy Zinberg
Former La Palma Mayor Ralph Rodriguez
La Palma City Councilmember and former Mayor Steve Shanahan
Former La Palma City Councilmember Larry Herman
West Covina Mayor Pro Tem James Toma
San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim
Sukhee Kang cannot be trusted, he is anti-choice, anti-LGBT rights, has a bad history on labor issues and was vocal about his non-support for the Veteran’s Cemetery. He told people in Irvine last year that he wouldn’t run for mayor against Steven Choi because he didn’t want to divide the Korean community. He will work against Sharon Quirk-Silva and possibly tank her own chances of getting back into the Assembly.
No, he’s pro-choice. He’s pro-LGBT and has attended many events. he led Irvine’s prevailing wage initiative. He supports the Veteran’s Cemetary, he’s been a consistent supporter of OC’s Veteran’s community (he has been out of elective office for 2-1/2 years…just what exactly do you expect him to do about the cemetery?).
Where Choi would have no problem dividing the Korean community for his selfish best interests, Kang takes the high road. Choi remains jealous of the record and the press coverage Kang had in Irvine and will never match it. Choi was elected twice with less than 50 percent of the vote; Kang was a runaway favorite.
I anticipate Choi and Quirk-Silva’s campaigns to work together; I’m not really sure where you’re getting your information from but most of it is wrong
Why would a Republican want to give the Democrat Party a 2/3 super majority in the State Senate?
Get a grip on it Dan, Sukhee Kang was never anything but another in a long line of puppets on a string being pulled by Larry Agran. Larry said “Jump,” and Sukhee asked, “How High. As such, Kang was up to his ears in the misconduct and corruption at the Great Park. Bottom line is, in the end, Kang’s action or inaction, will follow him to whatever Office he chooses to run for.
LtPar, you are absolutely correct. Sukhee Kang is just another tax and spend liberal. I spoke up in open council meeting about the White Elephant iShuttle bus which will cost California taxpayers $121,000,000. Kang invited me to his office where he had an OCTA representative to help him out. He said, “These are your opinions.” Well, no, pointing out that iShuttle only collects revenues equal to 1/4th of 1% of expense is not my “opinion.” It is a very disturbing fact. Kang said the “average public transportation system only collects 10% to 20% of expenses. iShuttle is 1/4th of 1%. It is, like the failed Great Park, another liberal boondoggle that our children will have to pay for. California isn’t just bankrupt. It’s the most bankrupt state in the U.S., thanks to Democrats like Sukhee Kang and Larry Agran.
Dan, you ducked and covered instead of addressing the iShuttle White Elephant.
$400 in monthly revenues for $185,000 in monthly expenses…. for 25 more years?
Sounds so typical of tax and spend liberals. Promise big and deliver deficits.
California is far and away the most bankrupt state in the U.S. It’s run by Democrats, like rioting, unemployed Baltimore, and abandoned Detroit, and…..
And California has the world’s 7th largest economy and isn’t close to being bankrupt. Nice try. I’d like to see a light rail system in Irvine and OC John…something like The train system in Boston, DC, and even SF.
and yet Pat, you begged Kang to have the city drop the legal fees you were required to pay for losing that failed and political motivated lawsuit; you wanted taxpayers to pay for the cost of your folly. Kang refused.
Comments like this remind me of how little you know Agran, Krom and Kang — all strong will people who argue with each other more than you know, yet often arrive at the same decision on a policy vote. It’s very easy to say they are puppets. Tell me Pat, who pulls the puppet strings for the GOP city council? Shea isn’t smart enough, Lalloway is a closet tea party member Schott is lost and Choi only cares about self-promotion. Yet they manage the vote the same way most of the time.
Dan you are as full of bullshit as a tumble bug on a cow patty. I never begged anyone for anything, paid my substantial court fees and chalked it up to never letting my name be used again by anyone but me.
As far as Larry Agran goes, I might remind you that I knew him many years before you ever happened on the scene, helped him get elected the first time he ran and saw him at his best and at his worst. From all those years of personal observation I also know that Larry was the kingmaker and the rest of his court of jesters did his bidding. In her early years on the Council, I recall Beth Krom thinking for herself on some issue and getting her ears slapped back by Larry. She obviously learned her lesson.
As far as the current Council majority, I have no idea what is going on. They don’t confide in me, nor ask me for advice and I don’t give it. Never knew Jeff Lalloway was a Tea Party member. That makes me like him even more. Whatever is happening, it has to be ten times better than Irvine under the Agranista reign. It is all over for you guys so get a grip on that.
Ah, the dreaded, feared “Tea Party,” which of course includes George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and all those other “gun-toting,” “Bible-thumping” radicals.
You should read your history, Chemielewski. Tea Party patriots founded this once great nation, and you liberals have been tearing it down since at least LBS’s failed ‘War on Poverty.” $22 trillion. How’s that working out? What? More people now on the dole than ever before in U.S. history? The answer can only be…. raise the taxes.
John,
The Founding Fathers you cite would NOT be considered Tea Party conservative today. By many metrics.
But particularly when it comes to both gun rights, their views on religion, and freedom.
Many law abiding citizens were denied the right to keep and bear arms in colonial America. Many others were required to keep arms readily available for inspection and a record kept of who possessed arms. Two things the NRA wackos claim are a prelude to tyranny.
There are many other reasons but I’m sure your rose colored glasses on the topic won’t allow you to see them.
Pat, re:Lalloway, the key word is “closeted” Tea Party member; read his Twitter feed and you’ll know.
Let me refresh your memory; it was raining. You shared an umbrella with Mayor Kang. You whined like a little girl about repaying legal fees. You want to talk smack about Kang, allow me talk smack back.
Sukhee Kang could not even save the lawn from the Occupy Wall Street/ Occupy Irvine campers. He could have cut a deal with the campers. Get off the Civic Center lawn & instead walk precincts for me. If you will do that – on my website I will call for Congressman John Campbell to cosponsor the House resolution to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. http://www.LaRouchePAC.com Glass-Steagall
Occupy OC was granted the right to stay on the lawn at City Hall by all five members of the city council.