Ethan Cha
American politician
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Ethan Cha is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Cha represents District 47B in the southeast Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Woodbury and parts of Washington County.[1][2]
Ethan Cha | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 47B district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | redistricted |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Democratic (DFL) |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Legislator |
| Website | Government website Campaign website |
Early life, education, and career
Cha was born in a Thai refugee camp and immigrated to the United States as a child. He grew up in Minnesota and attended Saint Paul public schools, where he learned English.[3]
Cha lived in California for many years and moved back to Minnesota in 2021 to care for his elderly parents.[3]
Minnesota House of Representatives
Cha was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran in an open seat after the 2022 legislative redistricting and defeated former state representative Kelly Fenton, who represented Woodbury from 2015 to 2019.[1][3]
Cha sits on the Agriculture Finance and Policy, Commerce Finance and Policy, Housing Finance and Policy, and Legacy Finance Committees.[1]
Cha, who is Hmong, is the chair of the Minnesota Asian and Pacific Caucus in the Minnesota Legislature, which advocated for an anti-hate crime bill in the wake of an increase in anti-East-Asian sentiment related to COVID-19's origins.[4][5]
Political positions
Cha ran on a platform concentrating on education, combatting climate change, and defending abortion access.[3]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Ethan Cha | 10,627 | 53.13 | |
| Republican | Kelly Fenton | 9,362 | 46.81 | |
| Write-in | 13 | 0.06 | ||
| Total votes | 20,002 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (DFL) | Ethan Cha | 14,202 | 54.41 | |
| Republican | Dwight Dorau | 11,867 | 45.46 | |
| Write-in | 35 | 0.13 | ||
| Total votes | 26,104 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic (DFL) hold | ||||
Personal life
Cha lives in Woodbury, Minnesota, and has three children, He identifies as Hmong.[1]