It has been a big time for Chinese-American Democrats and communities in Maryland, as their two favorite candidates won their races in the recent elections. Susan Lee was voted into the State Senate representing District 16 and Clarence Lam was elected as a state delegate from District 12. Celebration parties were held Sunday and Monday for the winners.

In the general election two weeks ago, Lam got about 20,000 votes. He said that when he ran the campaign, he did so as a regular candidate without emphasizing his Asian-American identity.

With only 8 percent of the population in his district being Asian American, he had to appeal to a much broader base of voters to win. "Now that I have won office, I view the entire Asian community as my community," he said. "We are still underrepresented, so it is important for us to have people like myself and Susan Lee to represent us."

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Lam said his community provided many opportunities for him, his parents and his grandparents. "I want to give those opportunities back to the new generation that will be coming to the US," Lam said. "As a second generation Chinese American, I think it is importantbe heard in the legislature. There is more that I can do to help our community."

Lam earned Bachelor's degrees in political science and biology at Case Western Reserve University, an MD from the University of Maryland and a Master's in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

There are at 57 new members among the 147 in the House of Delegates. Lam said he noticed there are only four physicians, including himself among the new delegates and dozen new senators.

"There are lots of lawyers who become state delegates and senators," he said. "I think it is important for the legislature to also have people with science, health care and medical backgrounds."

Jeffrey Slavin, mayor of Somerset, Maryland, said that Asian-American communities have seen new representatives in the government and in dealing with the government. He said he believed that Lee and Lam will show that the government can work for Asian Americans.

"I believe they are going to get more Asian Americans involved in the political process," said Slavin.

Sheng Yang contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at changliu@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 11/18/2014 page2)