The Rafu Shimpo - L.A. Japanese Daily News

Wife of Gubernatorial Candidate Tours Little Tokyo
By MICHIKO TAMURA
Rafu Staff Writer
Saturday, May 27, 2006

Anita Yu Westly, wife of Steve Westly, visits Little Tokyo in campaign for JA vote.

Anita Yu Westly
MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo

In series of events entitled “Connecting with the Asian American Community,” Anita Yu Westly, wife of State Controller and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly, visited Little Tokyo Tuesday.

Westly, who is a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong, started the campaign earlier this month to help her husband in his race against State Treasurer Phil Angelides for the Democratic nomination for governor in the June 6 primary election.

Both candidates have been actively courting the Asian American vote. Angelides’ endorsements include Reps. Mike Honda and Doris Matsui and Korean American attorney Angela Oh; while Westly has been endorsed by Gardena Mayor Paul Tanaka, Assemblymembers Ted Lieu and Judy Chu among others.

Anita Yu Westly, wife of gubernatorial candidate Steve Westly, meets Bill Watanabe, executive director for Little Tokyo Service Center Tuesday in Little Tokyo.

“My husband’s been always a leader in Asian American issues probably because of me and our family,” Westly said. “We have two young children, and when he comes home at night, he’s looking at an Asian American family. So it will be something that will always be reminded of when he’s thinking of policy.”

Community leaders such as Bill Watanabe, executive director for Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), met with Anita Yu Westly Tuesday and guided her through the renovated Far East Cafe building and other LTSC projects.

“Even before this campaign, the Westly Foundation, which Anita and her husband Steve oversee, made a major grant to help us in a capital campaign for this building. Steve was here when we had the ground opening about three years ago,” Watanabe said. “So, we’ve always shared a strong connection because of that, and we are very happy that she can come in and see the projects for the first time, and also see some of other programs that we do.”

In the June election, a Democratic candidate will be selected to face off against Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in November.

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