We kick off today’s stories with a Vietnamese American who says Charlie Kirk street signs in Little Saigon led her to run for Westminster City Council. Of course, she’s not the only Asian American on the Nov. 3 ballot. In San Francisco, a Chinese American supervisor is one win away from Congress, while a statewide billionaire tax on that ballot is slipping in polls.
Outside the campaigns, two criminal cases could widen beyond current charges. A congressman wants a hate crime investigation into an alleged shooting plot at an Illinois Hindu temple, and a man charged in one Michigan theft allegedly picked up more than $1 million for scammers. Fraud is also at issue in Seattle, where an Asian grocery store said an influencer’s misleading video drove customers away.
Another online post that appeared to target judge Carrie Ann Inaba cost a “Dancing With the Stars” pro an episode. Jeremy Lin, meanwhile, will be on TV more often as a regular ESPN analyst.
Featured
Charlie Kirk street sign pushes Vietnamese American into Westminster council race
Loan Nguyen has lived in Westminster, home to California’s Little Saigon, for more than 35 years. She says it took the city’s honorary Charlie Kirk street signs near the Vietnam War Memorial to bring her to City Council meetings.
Now, she’s running for the council, and the mayor behind the signs backs the incumbent she hopes to unseat.
What else we’re tracking
Chan, Wiener clash over AI in final debate for Pelosi’s seat
A Nov. 3 victory would make Connie Chan San Francisco’s first Chinese American member of Congress. At her final debate with Scott Wiener, she questioned whether he could regulate AI independently when AI-backed groups have spent millions supporting him.
California’s first-of-its-kind billionaire tax faces uphill battle as election nears
Proposition 40 would levy a one-time tax on California billionaires’ wealth and direct 90% of the money to public health care. AAPI likely voters backed it in a September poll, though their support had slipped from August.
Hate crime probe sought after teen’s alleged anti-Indian shooting plot
A 19-year-old allegedly told co-workers he “couldn’t wait to kill Indian people” a day before he allegedly drove into the parking lot of a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi was among the thousands there.
Man arrested in Michigan linked to more than $1 million in scam pickups
A caller posing as a federal official talked an older Allegan County, Michigan, woman into giving couriers her savings. She lost nearly $500,000 before her family alerted authorities.
How a MAGA influencer’s misleading ‘fraud’ video hurt a Seattle Asian grocery store
Conservative influencer Nick Shirley accused Lam’s Seafood of food stamp fraud, saying it rang up about $120 for a can of Spam and a package of sushi. The market’s operations manager said Shirley’s own video explains the total.
‘DWTS’ suspends Val Chmerkovskiy over slap joke about Asian American judge
After judge Carrie Ann Inaba critiqued a samba on “Dancing With the Stars,” Val Chmerkovskiy posted what seemed to be a reference to Will Smith’s Oscars slap. Inaba responded on Instagram, while Chmerkovskiy has since explained what he meant.
Jeremy Lin is now a regular ESPN analyst
Jeremy Lin retired in August 2025 with an NBA title and two more in Taiwan. He has already analyzed the Knicks’ championship run for ESPN, drawing on his “Linsanity” days.
Why read Issue #273?
Some voices are easier heard than others, not necessarily because they’re louder. A politician or celebrity, for instance, can speak to thousands or even millions quite conveniently. And with the internet, it’s just pressing a few buttons.
Most people lack that reach, and those with limited English have even less. Unfortunately, the same issue runs through this election cycle. We’ve seen campaigns and outside groups spend millions to shape what voters hear. Money could really take one to places, including city halls and legislative chambers.
With Asian Americans on both sides of some contests, we believe the best-funded side does not speak for all AAPI voters. Those deciding their ballots should hear from the residents and small-business owners in this issue, too.
Support independent Asian diaspora journalism. Become a paid subscriber to read the full stories and help sustain The Rebel Yellow.
The Rebel Yellow is supported in part by funding from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Funders do not influence story selection, reporting, or editorial decisions. All editorial content is independently produced by The Rebel Yellow team.