Ling Ling Chang

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Ling Ling Chang

| image = File:Linglingchang.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| state_senate = California State

| district = 29th

| term_start = June 25, 2018

| term_end = November 30, 2020

| predecessor = Josh Newman

| successor = Josh Newman

| state_assembly2 = California

| district2 = 55th

| term_start2 = December 1, 2014

| term_end2 = November 30, 2016

| predecessor2 = Curt Hagman

| successor2 = Phillip Chen

| birth_name = Chang Ling Ling

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|7|24}}

| birth_place = Taipei, Taiwan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| spouse = Andrew Wong

| children =

| profession =

| religion =

| signature =

| website = https://chang.cssrc.us/

| footnotes =

| module = {{infobox Chinese

|order=ts

|hide=no

|child=yes

|t={{linktext|張|玲|齡}}

|s={{linktext|张|玲|龄}}

|p=Zhāng Líng Líng

}}

| education = University of California, Riverside

}}

Ling Ling Chang (born July 24, 1976) is an American politician who formerly served in the California State Senate, representing the 29th district, encompassing parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties.{{Cite web |last=Tour |first=Jesse La |date=2020-09-07 |title=Newman and Chang Face Off in District 29 State Senate Race |url=http://fullertonobserver.com/2020/09/07/newman-and-chang-face-off-in-district-29-state-senate-race/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Fullerton Observer |language=en-US}} Prior to being elected to the state Senate, she was a Diamond Bar City Councilwoman and a state Assemblywoman for the 55th district.{{Cite web |title=Ling Ling Chang (R) - District 29 {{!}} California State Senate Archive |url=https://archive.senate.ca.gov/member-archives/2017-18/ling-ling-chang-r-district-29 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=archive.senate.ca.gov}} Chang is a Republican. She was also the first Taiwanese-born American elected to the state Assembly, and was the only Asian American woman in the California Legislature during her terms in office.

In 2016, Chang was a candidate for California's 29th State Senate district, losing the general election very narrowly to Democrat Josh Newman. After Newman was recalled by voters in 2018, Chang won a plurality of votes on the recall ballot and became the state Senator for California's 29th district. Chang narrowly lost re-election to Josh Newman in the 2020 election.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/11/12/democrat-josh-newman-declares-victory-over-republican-ling-ling-chang-in-29th-senate-district-rematch/|title=Democrat Josh Newman declares victory over Republican Ling Ling Chang in 29th Senate District rematch|work=The Orange County Register|first=Brooke|last=Staggs|date=November 12, 2020|accessdate=November 13, 2020}}

Early life and education

Born in Taiwan, Chang and her family emigrated to the United States when she was three years old.{{cite web|url=http://www.sgvtribune.com/opinion/20161011/elect-ling-ling-chang-to-state-senate-in-29th-district-endorsement|title=Elect Ling Ling Chang to state Senate in 29th District: Endorsement|author=The Editorial Board|work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune|date=October 11, 2016|accessdate=October 29, 2016}} She was raised in Diamond Bar and graduated from Diamond Bar High School.{{cite web|url=https://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=64364&type=d&pREC_ID=116032|title=Distinguished Alumni|work=Diamond Bar High School}} She studied biology at UC Riverside but did not graduate. She was criticized during her 2014 campaign for claims that she attended Harvard University when she was in fact taking online classes through Harvard Extension School, the university's online extension program which is open to the general public.{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-607243--.html|title=Biographies are scrutinized in 55th state Assembly District race|work=The Orange County Register|first=Martin|last=Wisckol|date=March 28, 2014|accessdate=October 29, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.capoliticalreview.com/top-stories/ling-ling-chang-and-her-misleading-resume/|title=Ling-Ling Chang and her Misleading Resume - California Political Review|date=2014-04-05|newspaper=California Political Review|language=en-US|access-date=2017-01-31}}

Career

File:180625 SenBates-Chang-SwearingIn (cropped).jpg

Chang worked at Strategy Insights Group. In 2005, she was elected to the Walnut Valley Water District Board and was then elected twice to the Diamond Bar City Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.sgvtribune.com/government-and-politics/20141104/election-2014-ling-ling-chang-easily-wins-seat-in-state-assembly|title=Election 2014: Ling-Ling Chang easily wins seat in state Assembly|work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune|first=Steve|last=Scauzillo|date=November 4, 2014|accessdate=October 29, 2016}}

=California State Assembly =

Chang was elected to the California Assembly in the 55th district in 2014 and had five bills signed into law in her first seven months in office. She also proposed bills seeking to cut business regulations.{{cite web|url=

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/newman-733602-chang-district.html|title=Orange County state senate race could decide balance of power in Sacramento|work=Orange County Register|date=October 27, 2016|accessdate=October 29, 2016|first=Jordan|last=Graham}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California's 55th State Assembly district election, 2014

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang

| votes = 13,242

| percentage = 28.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Gregg D. Fritchle

| votes = 12,243

| percentage = 26.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Phillip Chen

| votes = 10,659

| percentage = 23.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Steve Tye

| votes = 9,987

| percentage = 21.6

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 46,131

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang

| votes = 54,313

| percentage = 63.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Gregg D. Fritchle

| votes = 30,895

| percentage = 36.3

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 85,208

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = California Republican Party

}}

=2016 State Senate run=

Chang was the Republican candidate for California's 29th State Senate district in the 2016 election. She ran against two Democrats, former Irvine Mayor Sukhee Kang and veteran Josh Newman to succeed Bob Huff in 2016 due to term limits.{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2016/06/08/california-29th-senate-district-ling-ling-chang-josh-newman-to-face-off/|title=California 29th Senate District: Ling Ling Chang, Josh Newman to face off|first=Tomoya|last=Shimura|date=June 8, 2016|access-date=July 7, 2019}}

As of October 2016, Chang had raised more than $4 million. She made public comments distancing herself from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trump-726396-women-clinton.html|title=Two local GOP candidates steer clear of Donald Trump|work=Orange Country Register|first=Martin|last=Wisckol|date=August 19, 2016|accessdate=October 29, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trump-731529-county-women.html|title=Some California Republicans call for Trump to resign|work=Orange County Register|date=October 9, 2016|accessdate=October 29, 2016|first=Lauren|last=Williams}} In November 2016, with 49.6% of the vote, Chang lost the general election to Democrat Josh Newman.{{cite news|url=http://www.rafu.com/2016/12/newman-defeats-chang-in-close-senate-race/|title=Newman Defeats Chang in Close Senate Race|work=Rafu Shimpo|date=December 1, 2016|access-date=July 7, 2019}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California's 29th State Senate district election, 2016 {{cite web |url=http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-senate/district/29/ |title=California Presidential Primary Election, Tuesday, June 7, 2016: State Senate District 29 - Districtwide Results|accessdate=2016-06-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608112629/http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-senate/district/29/ |archivedate=2016-06-08|publisher=California Secretary of State}}

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang

| votes = 73,514

| percentage = 44.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Josh Newman

| votes = 48,754

| percentage = 29.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Sukhee Kang

| votes = 44,766

| percentage = 26.8

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 167,034

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Josh Newman

| votes = 160,230

| percentage = 50.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang

| votes = 157,732

| percentage = 49.6

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 317,962

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no change

| winner = California Democratic Party

| loser = California Republican Party

}}

=2018 State Senate special recall election =

On June 5, 2018, Chang won a recall election for the same State Senate seat that she had lost to Josh Newman two years earlier. Newman was targeted for recall by the Republican Party of California in an attempt to break the Democratic super majority in the Senate, though the campaign also emphasized Newman's vote to increase gas and vehicle taxes to fund infrastructure improvements.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-josh-newman-recall-20180605-story.html|title=California Sen. Josh Newman seems headed for removal from office for supporting higher gas tax|work=Los Angeles Times|first=Dakota|last=Smith|date=June 5, 2018|access-date=July 7, 2019}}

{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624133850/https://vote.sos.ca.gov/recall/state-senate/district/29|archive-date=June 24, 2018|url=https://vote.sos.ca.gov/recall/state-senate/district/29 |title=Special Recall Election |publisher=California Secretary of State |access-date=6 June 2018}}

File:California SD-29 (2011).svg

{{Referendum

| title = 2018 California's 29th State Senate district special recall election

| yes = 91,892

| yespct = 58.1

| no = 66,197

| nopct = 41.9

| total = 158,089

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2018 California's 29th State Senate district special recall election
Successor of Josh Newman if a majority vote in favor of recall

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang

| votes = 50,215

| percentage = 33.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Joseph Cho

| votes = 31,726

| percentage = 21.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Bruce Whitaker

| votes = 28,704

| percentage = 19.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Josh Ferguson

| votes = 17,745

| percentage = 12.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Kevin Carr

| votes = 12,713

| percentage = 8.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = George C. Shen

| votes = 7,442

| percentage = 5.0

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 148,545

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box gain with party link no change

| winner = California Republican Party

| loser = California Democratic Party

}}

= 2020 State Senate election =

In 2020 Chang lost the election to serve a full term in the State Senate. She lost the 2020 rematch to Josh Newman by a margin about three times larger than she had lost in 2016.

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = 2020 California's 29th State Senate district election{{cite web |title=Statement of the Vote - State Senators by Districts (odd-numbered districts only) |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/sov/143-state-senators-formatted.pdf |website=California Secretary of State |access-date=August 31, 2020}}{{cite web |title=November 3, 2020, General Election-State Senate|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/36-state-senate.pdf|website=California Secretary of State |access-date=December 22, 2020}}

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Ling Ling Chang (incumbent)

| votes = 98,687

| percentage = 47.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Josh Newman

| votes = 69,732

| percentage = 33.5