page_title: List of Asian Americans
section_title: Politics
hierarchical_section_title: List of Asian Americans / Politics
caption_attribution_description: English: Daniel Akaka official Senate photo.
context_page_description: This page is a list of notable Asian Americans.
context_section_description: Daniel Akaka, elected to the U.S. Senate from Hawaii in 1990.
  George Ariyoshi, became the first Asian American governor in the United States when he was elected Governor of Hawaii in 1974.
  Larry Asera, first Filipino American elected in the continental United States
  Kumar Barve, became the first Indian-American in U.S. history elected to a state legislative body in 1990 and currently serves as the Majority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates.
  Thelma Buchholdt, became the first Filipina American legislator and the first Filipino American legislator elected to office outside of Hawaii in 1974. She was elected by a constituency which was less than 1% Asian American, and served four terms in the Alaska state legislature.
  Anh "Joseph" Cao, became the first Vietnamese American Congressman as a Representative for Louisiana in 2008.
  Ben Cayetano, elected Governor of Hawaii in 1994.
  Elaine Chao, became the first Asian American woman and the first Chinese American in the U.S. Cabinet when George W. Bush, appointed her Secretary of Labor in 2001.
  David S. Chang, first Korean-American to chair a major state political party
  Stephanie Chang, first Asian American woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature; current State Senator representing Michigan's 1st District.
  David L. Chew, appointed the White House Staff Secretary by President Ronald Reagan in 1985. It is the highest position in the Executive Office of the President held by an Asian American.
  John Chiang (California politician), 33rd California State Treasurer, 31st California State Controller and former California Board of Equalization
  Upendra J. Chivukula, became the first Asian American elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 2002.
  Judy Chu, first Chinese American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. U.S. House of Representatives from California's 27th district
  Steven Chu, 12th United States Secretary of Energy from 2009 to 2013
  Sada Cumber, first United States Ambassador to the OIC
  Charles Djou, major, U.S. Army. Former Congressman from Hawaii.
  Tammy Duckworth, major, U.S. Army. Former Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. First Asian American woman elected to Congress in Illinois.
  Hiram Fong became the first Asian American elected to the U.S. Senate in 1959.
  Dr. Josh Green, Lt. Governor politician of Hawaii and Hawaii doctor
  Nikki Haley, of Indian descent, is the governor of South Carolina and first Asian American woman governor.
  Colleen Hanabusa, Congresswoman from Hawaii
  Harry B. Harris Jr, ambassador and diplomat
  Kamala Harris, Attorney General of California, first Asian/female/African American attorney general in the United States
  Foung Hawj, pioneer Hmong broadcaster, was elected to Minnesota State Senate in 2012 with support from the Sierra Club and a broad multicultural network.
  Mazie Hirono, former lieutenant governor of State of Hawaii, currently Congresswomen from Hawaii
  Mike Honda, U.S. Congressman from California's 15th congressional district, became the highest-ranking Asian American member of the Democratic National Committee, as the party's Vice Chair in 2005.
  David Ige, governor of Hawaii since 2014
  Daniel Inouye, became the first Japanese American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1959. In 1962, he became the first Japanese American elected to the U.S. Senate. From 2010 until his death in 2012, he was the President pro tempore of the United States Senate and third in the United States presidential line of succession.
  Bobby Jindal, Indian American, currently serving as governor of Louisiana.
  Jane Kim, Korean American politician and first Korean American elected official in San Francisco
  Sung Kim, ambassador & diplomat
  Padma Kuppa, first Indian immigrant and Hindu in the Michigan Legislature; current member of Michigan's House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 41st district.
  Tony Lam, became the first Vietnamese American elected to office when he was elected to the Westminster, California city council in 1992.
  Susan C. Lee, first Asian American elect
caption: Daniel Akaka
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