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My-Linh Thai

My-Linh Thai
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 41st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 14, 2019
Serving with Tana Senn
Preceded byJudy Clibborn
Personal details
Born (1968-01-18) January 18, 1968 (age 56)
Vietnam
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDon Thai
ResidenceBellevue, Washington
Alma materUniversity of Washington School of Pharmacy
OccupationPharmacist, Politician

My-Linh Thi Thai[1] (Vietnamese: Thái Mỹ Linh; born January 18, 1968)[2][3] is an American politician and pharmacist who serves in the Washington State House of Representatives representing the 41st district in King County. Thai, a Vietnamese immigrant who lives in Bellevue, served as a school board member prior to her election in 2018, replacing retiring legislator Judy Clibborn.

Early life and career

My-Linh Thai was born in Vietnam and raised by her grandparents on the Mekong Delta. She immigrated to the United States in 1983 as a war refugee and reunited with several family members who had fled earlier.[4]

She arrived in the Seattle area at the age of 15 and enrolled at Federal Way High School despite not knowing the English language.[5][6] Thai graduated from the University of Washington School of Pharmacy and worked as a practicing pharmacist in Billings, Montana, before moving with her family to Bellevue, Washington, in 2008.[5][7] She has also worked as a medical interpreter for Vietnamese immigrants and returned to the country to teach one of the first graduate nursing programs in Vietnam.[8]

She became involved in the Somerset parent teacher student association (PTSA) shortly after moving to the city, during a sabbatical from her work as a pharmacist.[6] Thai was appointed PTSA president, earning an advocacy award from the state PTA,[6] and was elected to the Bellevue School District school board in 2013.[5][8] During her first term as a school board member, Thai advocated against racial inequality and campaigned to hire a racially-diverse set of teachers to reflect the demographics of the Bellevue school body.[8] She was re-elected to a second term in 2017 and was appointed as the board president. Thai also served as the vice president of the Washington State School Directors' Association.[6][8]

Political career

Election

2018

Thai filed her candidacy for the 41st district seat in early April 2018, shortly after incumbent Judy Clibborn announced her retirement.[7] Running on a platform centered around education and healthcare reform, she received the endorsement of the 41st District Democrats, the Washington Education Association, the Washington State Labor Council, and The Seattle Times, and The Stranger.[5][9] Thai took 43 percent of the vote in the primary election, advancing to the general election alongside Republican Michael Appleby.[10]

Thai was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 65 percent of the vote over Appleby's 35 percent.[11][12] She became one of the first two Vietnamese American legislators to be elected to the Washington State Legislature, alongside Joe Nguyen from the 34th district.[13] Additionally, she was Washington state's first refugee legislator.[14] Thai announced her resignation from the school board the following day.[15] She was sworn in on January 14, 2019, wearing a traditional Vietnamese dress.[16]

Thai served as Washington's representative during the roll call at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, recording a message from Seattle.[17]

2022

Thai ran for re-election.[18] She faced Republican and aircraft engineer Al Rosenthal.[19] Thai won re-election with 68.43% of the vote.[20]

Committee assignments

During the 2021-2022 legislative session, Thai was assigned to the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee.[21][22]

Personal life

Thai's husband is Don Thai, a neurologist at the Valley Medical Center in Renton.[7] They have two children and reside in Bellevue, Washington.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Cash Receipts Monetary Contributions, My-Linh T Thai". Public Disclosure Commission, State of Washington. October 22, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  2. ^ Voter Registration Book - The State of Washington
  3. ^ "My-Linh Thai Makes History as Washington's First Refugee Legislator". February 11, 2019.
  4. ^ Metzger, Katie (February 11, 2019). "My-Linh Thai Makes History as Washington's First Refugee Legislator". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e Madigan, Grace (June 20, 2018). "My-Linh Thai is running in the 41st Legislative District and fighting for equity". International Examiner. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d "41st District candidates talk taxes, housing, and safety". Bellevue Reporter. October 26, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  7. ^ a b c "Bellevue School Board President to run for State House seat". Bellevue Reporter. April 2, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d "My-Linh Thai running for Bellevue School Board". Northwest Asian Weekly. June 24, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "A simple guide to your Seattle primary election ballot". Crosscut.com. July 31, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "August 7, 2018 Primary Results". King County Elections. August 21, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. ^ "Senn and Thai lead opponents in Legislative District 41". Bellevue Reporter. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  12. ^ "Legislative District 41 - State Representative Pos. 2 - County Results". Washington Secretary of State. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  13. ^ Padmanabhan, Jaya (November 16, 2018). "Trump effect—Mid-terms a turning point for Asian American voters nationally". International Examiner. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  14. ^ "My-Linh Thai Makes History as Washington's First Refugee Legislator". Seattle Weekly. February 11, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  15. ^ "My-Linh Thai Resigns from Bellevue School Board". Bellevue School District. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  16. ^ O'Sullivan, Joseph (January 15, 2019). "Washington's Legislature this year looks more like the people it serves". The Seattle Times. p. B1. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  17. ^ Camden, Jim (August 18, 2020). "Legislator who came to United States as refugee presents Washington's votes to nominate Biden". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  18. ^ "AAPI candidates on November ballot". Northwest Asian Weekly. November 6, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "My-Linh Thai vs. Al Rosenthal/ Legislative District 41 State Representative Position No. 2 race". Mercer Island Reporter. October 21, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "November 8, 2022 General Election Results - LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT 41 - State Representative Pos. 2". results.vote.wa.gov. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  21. ^ "Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee Members and Staff". leg.wa.gov. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  22. ^ "Finance Committee Members and Staff". leg.wa.gov. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
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