Three AAPI Democrats Enter Georgia Races, One Rooted in Forsyth County

A Vietnamese-born refugee who has tended a small goat farm in Forsyth County for years is now seeking to run the office that oversees Georgia's elections and business registrations. Cam T. Ashling announced her candidacy for Georgia Secretary of State, joining two other AAPI-connected Democrats who have entered the 2026 election cycle ahead of the May 19 Democratic primary.

Ashling, a Certified Financial Planner and veteran election protection advocate, has called Georgia home since the 1980s. Her campaign centers on a dual mandate: repairing what she describes as operational failures within the Secretary of State's office and strengthening the integrity of Georgia's elections.

"The Secretary of State's office is both the economic engine of Georgia and the guardian of our election systems," Ashling said. "Georgians deserve leadership that understands business, finance, and the responsibility to put voters first — not politics."

The announcement positions Ashling as a candidate whose biography spans refugee resettlement, agricultural life in Forsyth County, and professional finance credentials. Her background as a CFP distinguishes her in a race for an office that oversees not only elections but also business licensing, securities regulation, and charitable organizations across the state.

Georgia Asian Times, reporting from Suwanee on March 10, framed the three candidates' announcements as "a significant moment for the county's growing Asian American and Pacific Islander community and for Georgia Democratic politics at large." The outlet described the trio as each bringing "a distinct story and a shared commitment to working families" to the May ballot.

The names and offices sought by the two other AAPI-connected Democrats referenced in the report were not available in initial coverage. Their candidacies, alongside Ashling's, represent a visible expansion of AAPI representation within Georgia's Democratic primary field as the May 19 contest approaches.