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Sia Lo is a practicing attorney and the first Hmong American to run for Congress in Minnesota. Lo’s family fled Laos in 1973 after the Communists took over the country. Because of this, his family was able to become Americans, and Lo was able take advantage of the numerous opportunities in America. Today, Lo is known for his work in high profile Hmong cases as well as his charitable work in the St. Paul community. Lo is running on the Republican ticket for Minnesota’s fourth congressional district, a district that covers St. Paul and surrounding suburbs. The Cook Partisan Voter Index gave Democrats a fourteen point advantage in the district in 2018, and a Republican has not won the district since 1947, but Lo is quite optimistic about his chances, citing the failure of St. Paul Democrats and the recent lawlessness in Minnesota. Outside of politics and law, Lo is a father of four who enjoys playing golf and tennis and watching Tiger Woods play.
AANN is thankful to have Mr. Lo sit down with us for a one-on-one virtual interview.
Q: What inspired you to run for public office?
“I came to the United States when I was ten years old, and my family initially lived in the St. Paul housing projects. I graduated law school in 1996 and have worked at all levels of government ever since: county, state, and federal. Currently, I am in private practice, and I have my own law firm. Because I have been so blessed, I thought that it was time to give back to America. I believe that I have the ability and wisdom to help lead this great country, and running for office was the perfect opportunity to contribute my fair share to this country!”
Q: Your biography states that you are an ambassador for St. Patrick Church. Has faith played an important part of your life?
“I am a practicing Catholic. Faith definitely impacts my morals and the decisions that I make. Contrary to what others may tell you, I believe that everyone is here by design. I don’t think things happen by accident.”
Q: How has your Hmong heritage impacted the way you view politics?
“My Hmong heritage has shaped my background, my faith, and the way I live. Because of my heritage, I value freedom even more. During the Vietnam War, the Hmong sided with the United States. What many people do not realize is that the Hmong lost thirty percent of their population during the war. They paid that price because America needed us at the time. The CIA later stated that, without the Hmong, American casualties would have been much higher. After the war, many Hmong had to endure the brutality of the communist regimes in Vietnam and Laos. Others immigrated to the United States. Freedom is not free; I understand that well now. We need to remember that the freedom and prosperity that we have today came with a huge price. This freedom needs to be protected in the United States and around the world.”
Q: Why should Republicans in your district vote for you in the primary?
“There were initially three candidates for the Republican nomination. I won the nomination in the end with three hundred plus delegates, and the other candidates endorsed me. Gene Rechtzigel, however, did not participate in my endorsement and, instead, challenged me at the last minute. Therefore, there has to be a Republican primary. With that being said, I welcome the primary and my opponent Gene Rechtzigel. I believe that my work in the St. Paul community and my impressive resume stand for themselves. The primary is another chance to prove my candidacy.”
Q: A Republican has not won the district since 1947. What are some important policies that you are campaigning on that you feel like Minnesota residents could support in the general election?
“We need new leadership. We need to stop the congressional gridlock in order to tackle new challenges. New laws for the internet and technologies are on the horizon. In the social media sphere, we need laws that protect people’s 1st Amendment rights. I believe I am qualified and young enough to tackle these new upcoming challenges.”
“One of the issues right now is the medical premium. Obamacare has forced premiums to skyrocket to more than a mortgage in some cases. Betty McCollum, the incumbent, helped Democrats pass Obamacare. Obamacare has been tremendously bad for the working class. In order to actually alleviate the healthcare problem, we need to bring back competition and options. Another current issue is the national debt. What people do not realize is that their money will eventually be poured into paying these massive stimulus bills that Congress keeps passing. Like any responsible adult, we must balance the budget. The third issue is that politicians continue to raise taxes on businesses. Because of this, the businesses leave the city and take that tax base away. Now, politicians have to raise taxes on other subgroups such as homeowners. Before you know it, the homeowners start leaving the city. Currently, people are leaving because of the rioting and lawlessness in Minnesota. Are Minnesota politicians really going to reward civil unrest? With the current leadership, St. Paul could soon become a destitute city such as Detroit. The solution to these problems is voting in new leadership rather than career politicians. North Oaks and Stillwater, for example, have great cities and are run by conservative leadership.”
“I am not here to bash the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party), but I am here to tell things the way things are. It has been the failure of leadership that has led to destruction in Minnesota, and I believe that the people of Minnesota have had enough.”
Q: What are your general thoughts on the government’s response to the Coronavirus?
“There has been a lot of talk about how the president should have acted quicker to save more lives. I agree. However, when he was going to act, people denounced him for contemplating banning travel from China and Europe. All levels of government bear responsibility: stop pointing fingers. President Trump did his part, so we need to focus on doing our part. Here is what we should have done at the state level. The virus kills more elderly people than any other group. The Minnesota governor keeps pointing fingers at the president, but he did not protect Minnesota’s nursing homes sufficiently. In New York, Governor Cuomo even put people infected with the virus in nursing homes! Governors should have pooled more resources into nursing homes sooner. States definitely could have allocated resources more effectively when dealing with this pandemic.”
“Here is my opinion on reopening. The media has terrified communities with their exaggerated claims. My mother even wears a mask at home even though no one in our family has been infected. We need to be careful, but we cannot fearmonger. The Hmong community is very interactive. Whenever there are weddings, graduations, funerals, or childbirths, entire families show up to demonstrate their support: People’s livelihoods are being taken away because of this lockdown. I believe that states can reopen with N-95 masks and proper social distancing. In fact, I am in favor of the government providing free N-95 masks and employers distributing the masks because we cannot let our people and economy suffer much longer. It is definitely possible to reopen while safely containing the virus, and it’s a goal that we should all be striving for.”
Q: Any last words you have to say to the Asian American and Hmong communities back home?
“In my opinion, the Asian American community has been way too quiet. Our message is not being heard because of the media. As someone once said, the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease; Asian Americans do not do a lot of squeaking. Because of this reality, I ask that my Asian American brothers and sisters come together and unite, whether we are politically on the right or the left. We need to come together to talk about the issues that are affecting the Asian American community the most. Asian culture has caused Asian Americans to be silent and absent from political issues. That is why I stand for Hong Kong: Their voices are loud and proud. As Asian Americans, we must demonstrate solidarity in order to be heard. Likewise, we must elect representatives that share our values. Please do what you can to help me so that I can help you!”
If you wish to learn more about Lo’s campaign, you can visit Lo’s campaign website.
