FEDERAL:

• Doris Matsui (incumbent California House)
• 
  Mazie Hirono (incumbent Hawaii House)

STATE:

• Carol Liu (California Senate)  
• Fiona Ma (incumbent 
  California Assembly)
• 
  Mary Hayashi (incumbent 
  California Assembly) 

There's
also more than a handful of Asian American women (also mostly
incumbents) who won or kept seats in federal and state legislatures in
2006 and 2004. Although the number of women political leaders is
growing, it's nowhere near enough. So it's refreshing to see Asian
American women represented in the states where they make up so much of
the culture and economy.

It's also just great to see some Asian
American women's faces on the winners list in an election that was so
fraught with hope and disappointment for women.

Of course, let's
not forget the mens! According to Asianam.org, the following male Asian
American candidates (also mostly incumbents) won in 2008:

FEDERAL:

• Mike Honda (incumbent House California)
• David Wu (incumbent House Oregon)

STATE:

• Scott Kawasaki (incumbent Alaska House)
• 
  Alberto Torrico (incumbent California Assembly)
  
• 
  Paul Fong (California Assembly)
• Juan Arambula (incumbent California Assembly)
• Mike Eng (incumbent California Assembly)
• Ted W. Lieu (incumbent California Assembly)
• Warren Furutani (incumbent California Assembly)
• Van Tran (incumbent California Assembly)
• William Tong (incumbent Connecticut House, unopposed)

Congratulations to all!

(Note:
this post is in no way an endorsement of any of these candidates.
Please feel free -- without ranting or flaming -- to share positive or
negative stories about these politicians ... especially if you are
their constituents.)