Han Li

One year after he became a U.S. citizen, Jingchao Xiong, an immigrant from China who doesn’t speak fluent English, has decided to run for political office in San Francisco. It’s a long shot, and some people may find him eccentric, but he’s hoping to replace one of the most prominent politicians in the Bay Area: state Sen. Scott Wiener. “This is not about courage,” Xiong told The Standard in Cantonese. “It’s my mission.

David Lee wants to be a lawmaker. The San Francisco native and political activist, 54, has run unsuccessfully for the Board of Supervisors three times. But now he’s eyeing a higher office. On Friday afternoon, Lee was surrounded by current and former Chinese American elected officials in the Richmond District to announce his campaign for the 19th state Assembly district, which covers San Francisco’s west side and northwestern San Mateo County.