Couple articles below to understand the political landscape and also get Darshan's background
KASHISH DAS SHRESTHA
NEW YORK. The bursts of rain and occasional sun must have felt all too familiar to Darshan Rauniyar, a Washington State resident who is in New York this week for a series of fundraising and community relations events.
Rauniyar, a Democrat, is running for public office to represent Washington State’s 1st Congressional District in the United States of America’s House of Representatives.
So far, four others Democrats have also declared their candidacy for that seat. After the Primary Election on August 7, 2012, voters will choose between two finalists on November 6. A Republican candidate has not entered the race, and electoral law there does not require the two finalists to be from different parties. But the contest is not expected to heat up until the first months of 2012.
“I think I have a pretty good chance,” candidate Rauniyar says, settling down at the Pubblico Espresso Bar in New York’s West Village on the first sunny morning here this week. “Everything I learnt building my business into a success, and my status as an outsider will help me with this campaign,” the tech-business entrepreneur who has been involved in local Democratic politics for several years added.
But in the meantime, all the candidates are working hard to accumulate hard numbers for their campaigns: not just number of people, but also the amount of money they can raise.
The Rauniyar campaign hopes to raise about US$750,000 (approx. Rs. 54,600,000) for this election cycle. For both these purposes, Darshan Rauniyar has embarked on a tour to first earn the support of fellow Nepalis in America. “But I’m also quite surprised by the support I’m getting from Nepalis outside of America,” Rauniyar noted.
It is difficult to gauge a candidate over a cup of cappuccino, and in a stand-alone context.
However, Darshan Rauniyar, in his quiet and patient demeanor, promptly answers a steady stream of questions on conventional and current American political issues without missing a beat, and with a sense of conviction: Abortion and same-sex marriage: “I’m a pro-choice, pro-women’s rights candidate.” Environment issues: “Climate change is real and we need to address it.”
The debt ceiling debate in Washington DC: “We can’t just make cuts; we need to think about revenues too. Why are corporate companies making billions in profits and not having to pay taxes? Why are oil companies getting tax breaks?” Make cuts in the Defense Budget: “Yes.” Raising taxes: “Taxes need to be made fairer.” Making cuts in entitlement programs to reduce the deficit: “If we streamline our revenue sources, the pressure to make cuts would be less.”
It is not a coincidence that his answers come across as prototype liberal. Darshan Rauniyar is a proud and passionate Democrat and he happily goes to length to discuss all those issues.
And even in the face of the radically conservative Tea Party Republican wave that reshaped the US Congress in 2010, the Washington’s 1st Congressional District is still considered to be reliably Democratic.
The Nepali population in all of Washington State is estimated to be less than 2,000, considerably low compared to states like Texas and New York. Even in cities with bigger Nepali communities, the Nepali diaspora’s impact as an electorate in America is infantile at best. So why is the Rauniyar campaign courting it?
“I’m running for the 1st District of Washington State, but the policies I’ll be responsible for will be at national level,” Rauniyar explains. “I’m also keen on building a strong grassroots support system. And as a Nepali, it’s natural for me to reach out to fellow Nepalis for that support.”
For Darshan Rauniyar, demonstrating his strong national grassroots support base to the Democratic Party establishment in Washington State is crucial. It can have a tremendous impact on winning the endorsement of party figures who can help his campaign to a great degree in the lead-up to the Primary Election in August next year.
For the Nepali diaspora, still finding its footing here, the tendency and urge to support his campaign may also come just as naturally. Many may indeed see him not merely as a representative of the Washington’s 1st District but of the Nepali community in America as a whole.
This is also a unique opportunity for the Nepali diaspora to develop itself as a growing political constituency.
It was hardly a surprise that Rauniyar found a warm reception at the annual Association of Nepalese in America Convention in Washington DC in June.
This month, he has been back in the Virginia, Baltimore, DC area meeting with more Nepalis and establishing his name recognition and hoping to win their support. Here in New York, a fundraising dinner is slated at the Chautari Restaurant in Jackson Heights on Friday night at 6PM.
In an email inviting Tri-State area-based Nepalis to the dinner, Tara Niraula, an old member of the Nepali community here and an education professional, wrote: “I am supporting Darshan Rauniyar not because he is the first Nepali American (of course we take pride in him) to run for such high-level political office, but because he is a well-rounded candidate who can represent his constituency well in the U.S. House of Representatives. He brings excellent credentials to the position he is seeking to win.”
He also brings a compelling personal story representative of the immigrant reaching out for the American Dream, and achieving it.
“My father passed away when I was an infant, leaving my mother to care for my sister and me. My mother had to deal with the hardship of being a single parent, caring for two infants and going to school, she knew that without an education, she would not be able to earn enough to take care of us,” his official bio reads.
“My grandmother cared for us while my mother was earning her high school and college diploma. These two women were pillars of strength and the guiding light in my life.”
Rauniyar arrived in America in 1988 as a college student, and earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration by 1998, relying on scholarships for his higher education.
By the mid-2000s, he had built a national marketing business for Flash Drives, and business was good. “Our revenue was just about doubling every year,” he said.
He has remained a silent partner in the company for some time now, focusing on his family (he has a wife and two sons, aged five and 11), and his work with politics.
His official bio continues, “I have been active in the politics for over a decade and campaigned for many local, state and federal candidates. I am an elected Democratic Precinct Committee Officer, and was elected a member of the Snohomish County Democratic Central Committee & 1st Legislative District Democrats Executive Committee. I am a member of the Snohomish County Human Rights Commission and the Snohomish County Parks Advisory Board.” But he has never held public office.
By February 2012, the election season will be moving fast. In Washington’s 1st District, all the candidates will be finalizing their campaign strategies: State Representative Roger Goodman, State Senator Steve Hobbs, State Representative Marko Liias, and former State Representative Laura Ruderman will probably all still be in the race, along with Rauniyar.
It is unclear how voters will view the public office experience of all the four candidates except Rauniyar.
Some might argue that an experienced candidate is critical. Rauniyar sees it the other way. Presenting himself as a liberal candidate with a history of being a successful businessman, Rauniyar hopes to play the fresh-candidate card to his advantage, especially in a political mood that is increasingly driven by the state of the economy.
In the coming months, he will be campaigning more actively in Washington State and within his district. By no means is Darshan Rauniyar a Nepali candidate.
He is a Democrat and campaigning for every voter in the district he can shake hands with, and he is an immigrant who is “grateful about the opportunities” America has given him and wants to help ensure those “opportunities” and the “greatness” of America does not fade away in years to come. Like most Americans, he too is tired of the ideological debate in Washington DC that he thinks is not doing America or Americans any good.
“I don’t care about a big government, or a small government,” he said, finishing his coffee and glancing at the list of missed calls on his iPhone. “I want to help make an effective government.”
You can email the author at kahsish@350nepal.org and follow him on Twitter @kashishds.
Candidates line up for Wash. congressional seats
Originally published Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 4:29 PM
Political candidates lined up Thursday to compete in Washington's open congressional seats, even though officials haven't yet settled on the final district boundaries.
Two members of the state's redistricting commission have proposed making a new 10th District from Olympia to Tacoma. The 1st District left open by Rep. Jay Inslee would carve out new territory as a competitive seat stretching from east of Seattle to the northern border.
Since that map was released on Wednesday, at least seven candidates have declared their intention to campaign for the 1st district slot.
Darshan Rauniyar, a businessman running as a Democrat, said he welcomed having a full roster of candidates in the race. He said the diversity of the district - from the high-tech centers in King County to the rural farmers further to the northeast - would mean there are a broad range of issues at stake.
"It's always good to have more candidates than few candidates," Rauniyar said. "Let the voters decide."
Others Democrats that said they were in the race include state Sen. Steve Hobbs, former state Rep. Laura Ruderman, Rep. Roger Goodman and political activist Darcy Burner. The Republicans have already drawn Snohomish County Councilman John Koster and business consultant James Watkins.
Watkins said he expected the moderate composition of the district to trigger a genuine debate about the issues instead of partisan disputes.
"I don't think there's a real interest in hearing someone getting up and giving a lot of political talking points," Watkins said.
At least three candidates - Democrat Denny Heck and two Republican members of the Pierce County Council, Stan Flemming and Dick Muri - say they are campaigning in the 10th District.
The redistricting commission hasn't voted on the new congressional proposal yet because they are struggling to reach agreement on the accompanying legislative maps. The panel is comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans, and at least three of them must agree on the boundaries.
They must finish their work by New Year's Day or the process moves to the state Supreme Court.
---
Associated Press writer Mike Baker can be reached at http://twitter.com/MikeBakerAP
