Korean American candidates win congressional seats as close races remain

Korean American candidates Marilyn Strickland, Dan Go and Dave Min won congressional races in the 2026 midterm elections, while several state and local contests remained unresolved, according to Korea Daily. The publication reported that Strickland secured a fourth term, a first for a Korean American member of Congress.

The results reported by Korea Daily included milestones in Congress and the New York state Senate. In California, Min won re-election while Young Kim trailed in her congressional race and Jane Kim led the statewide contest for insurance commissioner.

According to Korea Daily, Rep. Marilyn Strickland received 63.8% in Washington's 10th Congressional District. Dan Go won his first congressional election with 63.4% in Massachusetts' 6th District, becoming the seventh Korean American elected to Congress.

In California's 47th Congressional District, Rep. Dave Min won re-election, the publication reported. Its tally showed Min with 56.9% and a 13.8-percentage-point lead over Jenny Ray Leroux with 73% counted. Rep. Young Kim had 45.6%, trailing fellow Republican Ken Calvert by about nine percentage points with votes still outstanding.

Jane Kim led Ben Allen in California's insurance commissioner race with 52%, a four-percentage-point advantage, according to Korea Daily. The publication identified her as the first Korean American to seek statewide elected office in California. Paul Seo led Sarah Dean in Assembly District 66, with 62% to Dean's 38%.

Korea Daily also reported that Grace Lee became the first Korean American elected to the New York state Senate. Ron Kim ran unopposed and secured an eighth term in the New York Assembly, while Sharon Chung won a third term in Illinois. In Georgia, Michelle Kang defeated incumbent Matt Reeves and Sam Park secured a sixth term. Cindy Munson lost Oklahoma's governor's race to Mike Mazzei.

Several other contests remained close. Steve Lee led Michael Chao by 78 votes in Arcadia City Council District 5 as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, while Kim Joong-sik led a seven-candidate field in Calexico, Korea Daily reported. In Washington, Cindy Ryu led Jesse Solomon by about one percentage point in Senate District 32, while Aida Kelly trailed Steve Ewing by less than two percentage points in House District 39.

One of the closest reported contests was in Georgia, where Rep. Soo Hong trailed Chris Lucci by 27 votes. Korea Daily reported 11,977 votes for Hong and 12,004 for Lucci, with remaining ballots potentially affecting unresolved races.