At least a dozen Pinoys vying for posts in US midterm elections

By Henni Espinosa and Erika Caturay, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Mar. 24, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Midterm elections is happening on November 4 of this year. It happens every two years. Federal positions that are up for votes during the midterm elections include 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and full terms for 33 or 34 out of 100 seats of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-six governors are also elected during the midterm elections. Also on the ballot of are positions in the state legislature, as well as in the municipal level.

So far, these are just among the Filipinos that are running during the midterm elections, as identified by Balitang America:

Donna Mercado Kim (Democrat) – running for U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii’s 14th District

William Espero (Democrat) – running for U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii’s 1st District

Joey Manahan (Democrat – running against Espero for U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii’s 1st District

Rida Cabanilla (Democrat) – running for U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii’s 41st District

Marissa Capelouto (Republican) – looking to elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the 2nd District of Hawaii

Brickwood Galuteria (Democrat) – running for State Senate, representing Hawaii’s 12th District

Henry Aquino (Democrat) – running for Hawaii’s House of Representatives, representing District 38

Della au Bellati (Democrat) – running for Hawaii’s House of Representatives, representing District 24

Romy Cachola (Democrat) – running for Hawaii’s House of Representatives, representing District 30

Ty Cullen (Democrat) – running for Hawaii’s House of Representatives, representing District 39

Robert Scott (Democrat) – running for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia’s 3rd District

Kris Valderama (Democrat) – running for California Assembly in the Golden State’s 18th District

Data show that midterm elections usually generate lower voter turnout compared to the presidential election, with only about 40% of those eligible to vote actually going to the polls.

Manahan, while guesting on Balitang America hopes the Filipino-American votes will come through. He concluded, “As a Filipino-American and as an immigrant from the Philippines, that is tremendously helpful. We have a large population and we have a large voting base in terms of supporters.”