LAKELAND, Tenn. – Former Lakeland Vice Mayor Dr. Lupo Carlota believes his time has come: The first known Filipino American elected in the southern state has filed for candidacy for the 7th District of the United States Congress, an area mostly covered by Shelby County, his bailiwick. “We have a good chance at winning,” Carlota told Philippine News last week, “especially with no incumbent running.”

Carlota is confident despite the primary being just three months away. “We didn’t know until early this year that the incumbent was not going for another term,” he explained. “After consultations with our allies here and around the country, we decided to go ahead and do it.”

Carlota is one of seven Republicans seeking to be the party standard bearer. “There are three politically visible in the field,” he said, each one having won seats in city, county, and state elections, himself included, and he thinks he has a “pretty good chance” of beating them Carlota is counting on his “good name recognition” and the quality of the electorate. “Our voters are intelligent, professional, upscale. They are upper-bracket voters who want a thinking candidate who is qualified for the job.”

His qualifications include being adviser to President Bush and serving on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “I would bring representation to the district because of my mainstream conservative values that most residents uphold. I would bring to fruition our president’s program of government characterized by compassionate conservatism.”

Carlota stressed the pillars of Republican values as “pro-life” and “strong military” as the centerpiece of his campaign. “I believe in mainstream conservative philosophies such as the establishment of strong military for global defense. We must be second to none in military strength which is the best way to maintain global security and peace.”

For a Republican, Dr. Carlota enjoys support across party lines. His supporters throughout the country include Filipino American heads of powerful political associations inclined to be or are staunchly Democrat. “Sonny has the qualifications that may likely result in the first immigrant from the Philippines elected to the U.S. Congress,” said his former University of Santo Tomas professor Alice Bulos, a diehard Democrat who drops all other business to see Carlota whenever he is in California. “His victory would be the victory of all Filipinos and newcomers to this country.”

The candidate’s “compassionate conservatism” is reflected in his stance on the issue of airport baggage screener, mostly Filipinos in Northern California, who stand to lose their job under the Aviation Security Act requiring such workers to be U.S. citizens. “I do not agree with that law because permanent residents must be given the same right to work in security where public lives are at risk.

These people are highly skilled and already working now; if they are removed and replaced with U.S. citizens who may not be as knowledgeable, human lives would be jeopardized.” He draws from his personal experience. “I was a permanent resident so I know what it’s like to be lawfully living and seeking work in this country. As permanent residents we pay taxes and know we can be drafted. So why can we not work as airport baggage screeners?”

National security is high on Carlota’s priorities, now more than ever after September 11. “There are many kinds of terrorism including biological and chemical. As a physician I can augment the thinking process in the Legislature and help U.S. Congress members to understand the seriousness of the issues and how to counteract them. I don’t need to be educated about it and why we need a viable plan against such attacks. I am prepared to undertake the challenge.”

Congress, declared Carlota, “needs more doctors” in its ranks. Voters will tell August 1 if they agree with his assessment. If they send Carlota to the general elections in November, they will have supported a world pioneer in modern scientific acupuncture who is president and founder of the American Board of Acupuncture Medicine and president of the Philippine Medical Association of Tennessee.

Carlota is state representative to the Republican Presidential Round Table, vice chair of the National Asian American Republican Coalition, president of the National Filipino American Council and chair of the National Filipino American Republican Council. He is husband to wife Lilibeth and father to their son Francis.

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Tennessee ex-vice mayor renews Congress bid