In Virginia's 35^th district, Mark Keam (D) is running a historical campaign.  Keam is attempting to become the first Asian-American elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in the state's history and one of the handful of Korean-Americans elected to public office.  The empowerment of any API community in the United States depends on its members moving into positions of financial and political power.  With burgeoning Korean business districts in Annandale and Centreville and a growing number of Korean-American residents in Northern Virginia, Keam's election would represent another step towards raising the visibility of the Korean-American community locally and nationally.  Past attempts by Korean-Americans to gain elected office have come tantalizingly close in Virginia.  Recently, Korean-American Ilryong Moon lost a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors race in Virginia by 89 votes.  With over $130,000 raised this financial quarter, Keam is well positioned thus far in the race.    

While Keam's campaign is significant for the Korean-American community, the importance of his campaign extends beyond changing the racial history of Virginia politics.  Currently, the Virginia House of Delegates is controlled by Republicans (R-53, D-45, IND-2).  As symbolized by the 2008 Presidential election when Virginia went blue for the first time since 1964, the Commonwealth is morphing into a purple state as the dense and affluent suburbs of Northern Virginia turn increasingly Democratic.  Given the thin Republican lead in the House of Delegates, Keam's election may represent another brushstroke towards the purpling of Virginia politics.  Since the late 1970s, the Virginian governor's race has gone to the opposite party of the winning President.  Keam's campaign will be one of many closely watched campaigns by political pundits in order to detect any further fraying in the Republican's traditional dominance in the South.  

On April 8^th, 2009, the Korean American Democratic Committee (KADC) held a reception for Keam in Los Angeles.   KADC supports Keam's candidacy because he will improve the lives of all residents in Virginia's 35^th district.  From reducing traffic congestion to improving the quality of elementary and secondary education, Keam possesses a long and distinguished history of public service necessary towards realizing these goals.  Interested readers can review Keam's credentials at markkeam.com.  They can also find instructions on how to donate or volunteer for his campaign in the upcoming months.  If you live in Virginia's 35^th district, please remember to vote in the Democratic Primary on June 9^th.  While often stated to the point of being trivialized, every vote counts as illustrated by the recent Minnesotan Senate race recount or Moon's campaign.