[TRANSCRIPT by Orange Juice Blog Transcriptions Services.
Orange Juice Blog Transcriptionists: “For when you Karen Huff to sin the furry vest”]
SFC: OK, we’re here at the Republican convention here in Anaheim. I’m with Young Kim, and she is running for the Assembly District in Orange County. And again — a bit of unusual candidate. When I was at your intro the other day, several people said: … she’s … KOREAN! She’s a woman! She’s a Republican! That’s, like, an unusual thing. But you say this is also a political advantage — that’s why you were recruited, too. Tell us about that.
YK: Yes. The 65th Assembly District represents the north and west Orange County.
SFC: Yeah. [Note: further mm-hmms and such omitted.]
YK: Fullerton, Buena Park, La [Palma], Cypress, Stanton, and West Anaheim. It is traditionally a very conservative district. The current State Assemblywoman, Sharon Quirk-Silva, did not win that seat. Unfortunately the Republican lost it in the last election cycle, but it was a bad year for all Republicans. Now, having said that, that win for Sharon Quirk-Silva gave the State Legislature a 2/3 supermajority. That is bad for us in Orange County, especially when the district, in the last redistricting cycle, has turned into 1/3 Asian, 1/3 Hispanic, 1/3 Caucasian. She’s Hispanic; I’m Asian. She’s Latina Democrat; I’m Asian Republican. She’s a woman; I’m a woman.
OK. She had the advantage of being a minority, a woman, and she went after our former State Assemblyman, Chris Norby, but she doesn’t have all the flaws that they went after him against Young Kim, because I don’t have any flaws.
SFC: [Starts cracking up laughing.]
YK: I am going to infiltrate into Sharon Quirk-Silva’s comfort zone — and I’m going to take her voters away.
SFC: And what is her “comfort zone”? What do you say –
YK: Woman! Minority! She’s not going to claim all those to her benefit, because I am going after the minority group that is hugely popular, Asian Americans — they come out and vote! Unlike the Hispanics.
SFC: Right.
YK: They will contribute to a candidate they believe is the best shot at getting that seat back — and that Asian Americans will do that. They have already proven that, for me, in a short period of time, in two fundraisers, I have have raised over $300,000 –
SFC: $300,000 in a few months. You have worked for Ed Royce, Congressman, for twenty years.
YK: Yes [Note: more “yes” and other interrupted cross-speak omitted.]
SFC: You know this district backwards and forwards, because you’ve worked for him in the district, in and around the district, for two decades.
YK: And like I said: when I say she doesn’t represent the interests and the values of the district, the district is traditionally very conservative, faith-based community.
SFC: You are very conservative socially –
YK: Very conservative, socially as well, and I do not subscribe to what she believes in, such as the transgender legislation that she worked hard to get it passed — it doesn’t reflect the values. I would not have even entertained such a thought. When the vote comes up, on the vote, I would say: “What a stupid, crazy bill. Who introduced it?” I would say that. I would not vote for something like that.”
SFC: I think that these debates that you two will have should be on statewide television. I think these will be very entertaining debates, uh buh this is — this is going to be great stuff, and, uh, we’ll see you down the road –
YK: Thank you.
SFC: – it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be one of the hot races in California, lot of money, lot of attention on both sides, and we’ll see you soon!
YK: I’m aware of that, so I’m ready, I already rolled up my sleeves, I’m ready, and I’m already … working hard. I’m hitting the ground, 100%, and I will kick her butt.
SFC: WOW! All right. Thank you.
OC Political 