A Texas state representative is accusing two of his of GOP primary opponents of running on a platform of being Asian.
D.F. “Rick” Miller — a 74-year-old white man who represents Fort Bend County, a district in the suburbs of Houston — said his two Republican opponents are campaigning on race.
“He’s a Korean. He has decided because, because he is an Asian that my district might need an Asian to win,” Mr. Miller said of opponent Jacey Jetton, who is the Fort Bend Republican Party chair, according to The Houston Chronicle. “That’s kind of racist in my mind, but anyway, that’s not necessary, at least not yet.”
Mr. Miller said the same of GOP challenger, Leonard Chan, an official with the Houston Fire Department.
“[Mr. Chan] jumped in probably for the same reason,” Miller said. “I don’t know, I never met the guy. I have no idea who he is. He has not been around Republican channels at all, but he’s an Asian.”
Mr. Jetton and Mr. Chan are Mr. Miller’s first primary challengers since 2012.
Mr. Jetton, a part Korean seventh-generation Texan, condemned Mr. Miller for saying his race was the reason he was running.
“I think it’s unfortunate he’s trying to make it a race thing when it’s really just being willing to communicate with anyone in the district,” Mr. Jetton said.
Mr. Chan agreed: “The Asian vote cannot be really described as just a solid Asian vote any more than the Catholic vote can be described as one solid block. I think it shows a little bit of out-of-touchness and appreciating the constituency.”
Mr. Miller walked back his original comments on Monday, telling The Chronicle: “People should be voting for the right candidate or the candidate most qualified to win the election, and that’s my key point. I don’t know why they’re running. If that’s why they’re running, then good.”
Fort Bend County’s population is one of the most diverse in the country, with 35% Anglo residents, 24% Hispanic, 21% Asian and 20% black, according to a Kinder Institute for Urban Research study in 2018.
Asian and black residents are expected to be half the county’s population by 2022.
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