In mundane terms, that means literally walking the streets of Oxon Hill and Fort Washington, sweating in the summer heat, stuffing campaign literature in people’s front doors. Along with a dozen other volunteers, we split in teams of two and try to cover our assigned blocks in two to three hours.

Occasionally during our routes, some people would open their doors and we would engage in a friendly chat about the upcoming primary election (Sept. 12). Most are friendly and courteous. Before parting ways, we’d ask them to support our candidates.

Kris is running as a delegate to the Maryland Assembly, representing Prince George’s County’s 26th District. (Her dad, David Valderrama, was a delegate for almost 10 years). She’s part of the Obie Patterson team, which includes two incumbents. The open seat, vacated by Patterson who is running for the state senate, is what Kris is vying for, along with seven other candidates, including my province-mate Jocelyn Stichberry, president of the Novo Ejicanos and this year’s Philippine Festival chair. In the September 12 primary, registered Democrats will vote for three delegates. The winners are virtually assured of election in November since the district is heavily Democrat.

It would be nice to see two Filipino Americans go to Annapolis. But That’s unrealistic, given the demographics in Prince George’s County. Based on past elections in California and New Jersey, where more than one Filipino ran for the same office, they end up being losers.

Someday, when more Filipino Americans are registered to vote and going to the polls, it may no longer matter. But not till we spike up our numbers.

Born and raised in Ft. Washington, Kris is a mother of two young girls, ages 4 and 2. Her husband, Abraham Lobo, is a senior sales manager and is very supportive of his wife’s candidacy, often taking care of the kids while Kris is out in the hustings. She went to school in Indian Queen Elementary, where she launched her bid on June 13.

“This is where I learned my ABC’s and where, at age 9 or so, I had, unknowingly, my first taste for public service as a student patrol," she said. “As I ventured into the workplace, marriage and motherhood, my ABCs from school took on a whole different meaning. It became my acronym for Advocating the Best for our Children."

She offered herself as a candidate, she added, as a “mother willing to fight for the best quality of life for my children, your children and your children’s children."

I’ve known Kris and her family for many years. She calls me “Tito Jon." I see myself as a mentor and tutor to her generation. I’d like to see more young professionals like her throwing their hat in the ring, whether it’s for school  board or city council. Even getting appointed to county commissions is a good start.

Of course, being a Valderrama is not enough to win in the coming primary. Kris knows it. That’s why she’s been busting her neck out in the trenches, getting up early mornings to wave signs at street intersections, knocking on doors evenings and weekends, handing out flyers, raising funds.

And what if she loses on her first try? Here she waxes philosophical. As she told political analyst Phil Nash recently:

“People are so afraid that they will lose face if they lose an election. What they don’t realize is that making a difference in people’s lives is not measured mainly by winning but in taking risks for a cause that’s greater than ourselves."

Way to go, Kris.

On our first power walk with Kris back in June, we hit the affluent neighborhoods of Tantallon. Rodney Salinas of Alexandria, Va. brought along one-year old Danielle for the stroll, her first foray, you might say, into politics. This kind of osmosis at an early age, a gradual, often unconscious process of absorption, just might turn Danielle into a political activist someday. Like her dad. That’s how Kris, by the way, cut her teeth in politics. As young girls, Kris and sister Vida, helped in their dad’s campaign. And now Kris is following her dad’s footsteps.

Elsewhere in the region, another Filipino American is running for public office. Republican Gus Alzona, certainly not a newcomer to the political arena, is challenging Democrat Chris Van Hollen who is presently Montgomery County’s District 8 representative in Congress. I’s an uphill battle for Gus, but we commend him, Jocelyn and others for their dedication to public service. Running for elective office is not easy.

Especially the fundraising part.

Rodney Salinas, by the way, is considering a city council seat in Northern Virginia, and has made no bones about aspiring to become a U.S. President someday. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he has vowed to change the U.S. constitution which forbids the foreign-born from running for national office. We need more FilAms in the halls of power.

As it is, we’re still waiting for one of ours to make it to Congress.

This year might just be the year if either Gus or Ron Menor or Nestor Garcia make it. A state senator in Hawaii, Ron is also a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. So is Nestor, a state house rep in Hawaii. Nothing could be sweeter than to celebrate the electoral victory of Filipino Americans in this Centennial year.

In any case, if you’re registered to vote, go to the polls for the Maryland primary elections on September 12. If you haven’t yet registered, it’s not too late.

Voter Registration applications are available throughout Maryland at any office of the State Department of Health, Social Services Administration, Motor Vehicle  Administration, Offices on Aging and all public institutions of higher education as well as many other state Agencies. For more info, visit: www.vote-smart.org/voter_registration http://www.vote-smart.org/voter_registration.

It’s time we focus our attention to the November U.S. elections and set aside for now Philippine-related issues like dual citizenship, overseas voting and charter change. After all, lest we forget, we are Americans, too! We live here. This is home now.

E-mail your comments to jonmele@aol.com ym/Compose?To=jonmele@aol.com.

Vol. XV, No. 20