SAN FRANCISCO — A reception for Rep. Mike Honda, who is seeking re-election, was held Aug. 29 at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco Japantown.
Guest speaker was Norman Mineta, who represented Silicon Valley in Congress for two decades, became the first Asian American in the Cabinet when President Bill Clinton named him secretary of commerce, and served as secretary of transportation under President George W. Bush.
The event was co-chaired by Nob Fukuda, Glen Fukushima, Joan Haratani, Dale Minami, Paul Osaki and Don Tamaki.
The host committee consisted of Jeff Adachi, Judy Hamaguchi, Richard Hashimoto, Carole Hayashino, Daryl Higashi, Chris Hirano, Aya Ino, Alice Kawahatsu, Donna Kimura, Ryan Kimura, Donna Kotake, Lori Matoba, Diane Matsuda, Jeff Maruyama, Sandy and Jeff Mori, Emily Murase, Steve Nakajo, John Noguchi, Allen Okamoto, Jerry Ono, Teresa Ono, Jon Osaki, Sally Osaki, Jill Shiraki, Dale Shimasaki, Robert Sakai, Kiyomi Takeda, Dean Ito Taylor and Patty Wada.
Honda, chair emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, was first elected in 2000 and represents the 17th Congressional District (Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Fremont, Newark, North San Jose, Milpitas). He previously served in the California State Assembly and on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
Endorsers include former defense secretaries Leon Panetta and Bill Perry; Gary Locke, former secretary of commerce and U.S. ambassador to China; Steven Chu, former energy secretary; Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee chair; Ben Jealous, former NAACP CEO and president; actor/activist George Takei; Sen. Dianne Feinstein; House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi; House Democratic Caucus Chair Xavier Becerra; fellow CAPAC members Ami Bera, Ted Lieu, Mark Takano and Judy Chu; Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon; API Legislative Caucus members Evan Low, Rob Bonta and David Chiu; California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Treasurer John Chiang, Controller Betty Yee, and Board of Equalization member Fiona Ma.
In the Nov. 8 election, Honda will again face fellow Democrat Ro Khanna, former deputy assistant secretary of commerce, whom he defeated 51.8 percent to 48.2 percent in 2014. Under the current system, the top two finishers in the primaries face off in the general election, even if they are from the same party.