Justin Hwang
Chair of the Oregon Republican Party
Assumed office
July 6, 2022
Preceded byHerman Baertschiger Jr. (acting)
Personal details
Born1984 (age 39–40)
South Korea
Political partyRepublican
EducationCornell University (BA)

Justin Hwang (born 1984)[1] is an American restaurateur and politician from Oregon serving as the chair of the Oregon Republican Party since 2022. He is the first Asian American and Korean American to serve in the position. He previously served briefly as the vice chair from May to July of the same year. Hwang previously made unsuccessful bids for election to the Oregon House of Representatives and Oregon State Senate in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

Personal life and business career

Hwang immigrated to the United States from South Korea as a child and obtained American citizenship in 2006.[2] He is the founder of Joy Teriyaki, a restaurant chain in the Portland metropolitan area, and operator of the Fairview Food Plaza.[3] Hwang has lived in east Multnomah County since 2003.[4]

Oregon politics

Candidacies

Hwang ran in both the 2018 Oregon House of Representatives election and the 2020 Oregon State Senate election, losing both times to state senator and former state representative Chris Gorsek.[5][6] Hwang accused incumbent Gorsek as using anti-immigrant language in a mailer sent to voters in 2018.[7] In his 2020 state senate campaign, he was running to represent Oregon's 25th Senate district and focused on school funding for Mt. Hood Community College.[4]

Oregon Republican Party

Hwang became the chair of the Oregon Republican Party in July 2022 after briefly serving as the vice chair since May 2022.[8] His incumbency was preceded by several resignations from positions within the state party, including state senator Dallas Heard and former state senator and Josephine County commissioner Herman Baertschiger, who resigned from the position in early 2022.[9] As chair, Hwang has been critical of both Oregon governor Kate Brown and U.S. president Joe Biden regarding the 2021–2023 inflation surge.[10]

Electoral history

2018 Oregon State Representative, 49th district [11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Gorsek 11,045 51.3
Republican Justin Hwang 9,658 44.8
Libertarian Heather Ricks 826 3.8
Write-in 21 0.1
Total votes 21,550 100%
2020 Oregon State Senator, 25th district [12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Gorsek 30,206 51.9
Republican Justin Hwang 27,882 47.9
Write-in 76 0.1
Total votes 58,164 100%

References

  1. ^ "Justin Hwang for State Senate". justinfororegon.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Oregon GOP taps a new leader after another chair resigns". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. ^ Keizur, Christopher. "Oregon Republican Party names Justin Hwang as chairman". TheOutlook. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "JUSTIN HWANG FOR OREGON". LatinMedia Northwest. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  5. ^ DeBow, Matt. "Hwang cites concerns with opponent's mailer". TheOutlook. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Justin Hwang announces candidacy for state Senate". TheOutlook. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  7. ^ "In Oregon House Contest, a Candidate Spots Racist Overtones in Mailer". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Justin Hwang Becomes Chairman of Oregon Republican Party". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Oregon GOP has third new leader in less than 18 months after another chair resigns". Fox News. 7 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Justin Hwang named new Oregon Republican Party chairman". KTVZ. 7 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  11. ^ "November 6, 2018, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  12. ^ "November 3, 2020, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

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