#ElectAAPIs2020: A Conversation with Gina Ortiz Jones
By: Emily Yi
Tags: Texas, Politics, LGBTQ, Asian American, Congress

Gina Ortiz Jones, a Filipina-American Air Force veteran, is running to represent TX-23 in Congress for the second time in the 2020 general election.

This election cycle, a record number of AAPI candidates are running for office across the country. In particular, one state that has seen a remarkable number of AAPI names on its ballots is Texas.

To kick off The Young Politicasian’s #ElectAAPIs2020 Interview Series, we spoke with TX-23 Democratic nominee Gina Ortiz Jones. Jones, an Air Force veteran, is running for Congress for the second time after narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Will Hurd in 2018. If elected, Jones would be the first Filipina-American woman in Congress, and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent the state of Texas in the House of Representatives.

When and why did you decide to run for office? Was there a specific experience or moment that inspired you to do so? How has your background in national security influenced your campaign and your policies?

Gina Ortiz Jones: As a first-generation American that was raised by a single mom, I’ve been fortunate to live the American Dream. Over my nearly 15-year career in national security, I’ve also seen firsthand the importance — the indispensability — of American leadership. I served in the Air Force and deployed to Iraq, have advised on operations all over Latin America and Africa, and wrapped up my federal career working in the Executive Office of the President to protect our economic and national security. I stayed on for six months after the election in 2016 to see what good I could do from within, but it became very clear that was going to be limited given the direction of this administration.

I’ve served in countries where women and minorities are targeted, where governments’ disregard for conflicts of interest have hollowed out those countries, and I’ve seen what happens when good people don’t stand up in the face of tyranny. There wasn’t any one event, but I had to ask myself, am I going to be part of the problem or part of the solution? I had to think about how my community and country invested in me — things like reduced lunch and subsidized housing were critical investments that allowed me to grow up healthy, get an education, and go on to serve our country. In Congress, I’ll fight to ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential and give back to our very special country.

How has your AAPI heritage and LGBTQ+ identity influenced the legislation you support and the issues you care about? Your candidacy is that of several “firsts” — you would be the first Filipina-American elected to the US Congress and first openly LGBTQ+ Texas representative. What do you think is the importance of diverse voices in our government?

I’d be honored to be the first, but it’s more important that I’m not the last, because we’ve seen what happens when our voices are not at the table. I was able to go to college thanks to a four-year Air Force ROTC scholarship that took me from John Jay High School to Boston University, but one of the very first things I had to do was sign a piece of paper that said I will not engage in homosexual behavior because Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell applied to me even as a cadet. I knew that my opportunity to get an education, to serve our country, to die for our country — all of that goes away if they found out I was gay, because at the time there weren’t enough leaders with the moral courage to say anybody ready and willing to serve their country should be able to do so.

And as a proud first-generation, Filipino American, and the daughter of an immigrant, I’ve been fortunate to live the American Dream. My story starts over 40 years ago when my mom left the Philippines for her shot at the American Dream. She raised my younger sister and I by herself, and she reminded us every day that we were lucky — not smart — lucky to be born in this country, and we’d have to find a way to give back to a country that gave us so much. It’s why I served, and why my sister serves in the Navy to this day. I bring the perspective of someone who knows firsthand that if you invest in the most vulnerable you are investing in the strength and potential of this country. That’s one of the many reasons I believe it’s so important that we have diverse voices in government who share the lived experiences of the people they’re elected to serve.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had on the (virtual or in-person) campaign trail, either this year or in 2018?

There is so much I miss about campaigning in person, from knocking on doors in places like Socorro and Alpine and Eagle Pass, to meeting folks on a Friday night at a local high school football game. But the health and safety of my community and my team is our top priority during this ongoing public health crisis. Before the pandemic, I was knocking on doors in Uvalde in March, and this woman recognized me and gave me a huge hug. It’s always nice to be greeted like that, but it was also a reminder about how hopeful people are about getting our country back on the right track. People are hungry for change, and it starts with electing new leaders.

You are one of a record number of Asian American candidates in Texas this election cycle, including several others running for US Congress. What do you see as the significance of this rise of Asian Americans in politics, in Texas and nationwide?

It’s not surprising that people who have the most to lose under the current administration, whether it’s Asian Americans and other people of color, women, working people, and more, are stepping up to say, “I’ve got something to say about that.”

Even during this pandemic and economic crisis, we’ve seen how it’s disproportionately impacted already vulnerable communities. I learned a long time ago that when you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. It’s absolutely critical that we elect leaders who reflect the diversity of our communities — and more importantly elect leaders with the courage to fight for our communities.

In 2016, just 49% of eligible AAPI voters turned out to vote. What do you think is at the root of low voter turnout in the AAPI community, and how can we work to increase turnout this fall?

We have to motivate folks to turn out to vote by focusing on the issues that matter to them. That’s why in this race, my top priority has been expanding access to quality, affordable health care. Texas is the most uninsured state in the country, and this district is one of the most medically underserved parts of the state. In 18 of the 29 counties in this district, there are three or less doctors, and in three counties there are no doctors. This issue hits home for many families in this district, and has only gotten more pressing during this public health and economic crisis. People in this district are ready for change, but we aren’t taking anything for granted. We are doing everything we can to reach out to voters across this district and make sure we have record turnout in November.

What advice do you have for AAPI youth wanting to run for office?

I would pass along my favorite piece of advice from my mom: Be kind, work hard, and be so good they can’t ignore you.

What can the members of our caucus and high schoolers around the country do to help support your campaign?

No one is coming to save us — we have to put in the hard work to get our country back on the right track. There’s so much at stake in this election, and no one can afford to sit this out. I came up just short in 2018, just 926 votes, despite being massively outspent, so I know how critical every phone call, every text message is to helping us win this race. I encourage you to be involved, and make sure your voice is heard. And if you’re interested in helping us flip this district blue, please sign up to volunteer with us at https://www.mobilize.us/ginaortizjonesforcongress/. Thanks for being in this fight!