ALHAMBRA – Preliminary election results from the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters show Mike Fong with an overwhelming lead in the Feb. 15 special election for California State Assembly District 49.
As of Feb. 16, Democrat Fong led Republican Burton Brink, 23,338 to 10,919 votes or 68.13 percent to 31.87 percent. Fong is scheduled to be certified as the winner on Feb. 24.
Fong, currently a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, will serve the rest of former Assemblymember Ed Chau’s term, which expires Dec. 5, and will have to run again to retain the seat. Chau, a Democrat, was appointed as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Fong released the following statement: “Thank you to the voters of Assembly District 49 for your confidence and trust. I am deeply humbled and grateful to have the opportunity to serve our San Gabriel Valley communities in the State Assembly, and to follow in the footsteps of the incredible public servants who have come before me, including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Assemblymember Mike Eng, and Assemblymember Ed Chau.
“The San Gabriel Valley is filled with talent, hope, hard work, untapped opportunity, and dreams for the future. I ran for State Assembly because I want to help our communities by solving problems, both big and small. From constituents who need help with state services, to challenges like rising homelessness, climate change, and keeping our neighborhoods and communities safe, I promise to work every day to deliver results for the San Gabriel Valley, and to be a relentless advocate for every person who lives here.”
As an elected trustee on the board of America’s largest community college district, Fong works to increase student access to higher education, expand workforce training, and improve the quality of educational opportunities available at Los Angeles’ nine community colleges, including East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park.
Professionally, Fong serves as senior management analyst for the Los Angeles Housing Department. He previously served as the East Area director for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Fong also serves as a member of the City of Alhambra Transportation Commission; a board member of Goodwill Southern California; and an advisory board member for L.A.’s BEST After School Enrichment Program.
His long record of community service also includes having served as chair of the PBS Southern California Asian Pacific Islander Community Council, a member of the White Memorial Medical Center Community Leadership Council, chair of the California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, and president of the Asian Pacific Alumni of UCLA.
A lifelong L.A. County resident, Fong holds a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UCLA and a Master of Public Administration from CSU Northridge.