California Lt Governor Candidate Fiona Ma at Pakistani American Fundraiser
By Ras H. Siddiqui
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma is a Democrat currently vying for the position of Lt Governor in a race in which she faces Republican Gloria J. Romero in the November elections. And if one reads the results of the June 2026 primaries and recent California voting patterns correctly, her chances of winning are good. But as they say, “It’s not over till it’s over.” Despite the Democratic tilt in her favor, it still takes resources to win any election and for that reason she has been on a fundraising spree.
Fiona was in Loomis, California on September 27, 2026, at Kamboh House. Engineer Maqsood Ali Kamboh, who billed this fundraiser as a “Pakistani American Community Lunch,” rallied regional community friends to support Candidate Ma. Pakistanis are not strangers here in California as some families have been here for over one hundred years. This all started off with the arrival of the Punjabi community in the central valley during the first decade of 20 th century. And most of the Muslim component of that Punjabi influx became “Pakistanis” after the partition of British India in 1947 which created the two countries of India and Pakistan.
Another interesting aspect of the America-Pakistan relationship has to do with agriculture and specifically the fruit industry. Pakistanis are immensely proud of two of the fruits produced in their country. One obviously is the mango varieties grown there which are exported to various parts of the world, including markets here in America. Their arrival in California is welcomed every summer and that trade could be further expanded.
The second fruit that Pakistanis love is the Kinnow Mandarin, locally called “Kinno” which is consumed in South Asia with considerable pride. But many are not aware that the Kinnow was developed at the University of California Riverside right here in our golden state and was released for cultivation in 1935. So, the relationship between Pakistani state of Punjab (where the Kinnow is grown) and California is deep rooted!
The Chinese community first arrived in California approximately fifty years earlier than the Punjabis and in larger numbers. Today Chinese American Fiona Ma aspires to become the highest elected Asian American Asian to hold elected office in California. She was born in New York in 1966 into an immigrant Chinese family and can closely relate to that experience as a first generation American. She brings a great deal of public service experience to the table and according to event host Maqsood Ali, if elected, she will be a very capable Lieutenant Governor.
Speaking of being capable, the host family itself is an incredibly talented bunch. Engineer Maqsood’s daughter Anoosh Ali, who emceed the fundraiser, is a notable example of that. In a very impressive delivery, she introduced both her father and Fiona Ma, leading the latter to comment that Anoosh herself should run for office one day. Anoosh hoped for sustained business relations between Pakistani Punjab and California and enhancing the sister state relationship between them. Business growth improves the lives of fellow Californians to which we as Muslims, Pakistanis, and South Asians already contribute.
Engineer Maqsood Ali spoke next and thanked the attendees, especially the representatives of the regional Pakistani American business community, for their presence and generosity. He also pointed out some of the young people present from within our community who are aspiring to become future leaders in the region. He said that with all the talent that California has attracted, we should work towards making it the third largest economy in the world (it is currently in fourth). Maqsood also urged everyone to contact their (US Citizen) friends and family members in California and tell them to vote for Fiona in November.
Fiona was at ease and knew that she was amongst friends, and started off by thanking the host family. The outdoor poolside fundraiser was held on a beautiful day, and she pointed out that the weather is one reason we all love to live in California. She said that her parents came to this country to pursue the American dream and highlighted the opportunities that this country has given immigrants from incredibly diverse backgrounds so that they can raise a family, educate them, become successful, and retire in dignity. She strongly supports the inclusive California Dream and added that her State Treasurer office is like a mini–United Nations as California continually values its workforce diversity.
On another note, Fiona called for a more efficient and business friendly government in California (with checks and balances) to encourage collective prosperity. To preserve our rights, we need to vote and show up on November 3 rd, she said. In the recent primary elections only 30% of Californians voted. Thirty years ago, 70% used to show up. She said that politicians need to improve their access, get out of their offices and go to the people, and fix their problems. Ma also thanked the Pakistani American community in both Northern and Southern California for coming out and supporting her campaign for Lt Governor.
In the Q&A session which followed, issues were brought up which are of concern to our community. One was the continued state funding of programs for special needs children. Fiona said that parents of children with special needs have to be continually active and lobby. They need to approach their local and state officials to be heard and that advocacy is particularly important, especially during difficult budget times. She said that the state budget has been doing (relatively) well for the past eight years thanks to the AI boom. But Proposition 40 or the “Billionaire Tax is on the ballot.” Please vote no, she said. We need our billionaires and our companies to stay here in California and prosper, she added. And if our current State Treasurer who knows the minute details of how our budget is funded says “No on 40,” we need to listen!
