Judy Chu won California’s special election last night for its 32nd Congressional District.  Chu  becomes the first Chinese American to serve in the House of Representatives.

With 100% of the ballots counted, Chu, a Democrat, had 62% of the vote in Tuesday’s election for the San Gabriel Valley-based seat vacated when Hilda Solis became U.S. Labor secretary.

Republican Betty Tom Chu, Judy Chu’s cousin by marriage, was a distant second with  33%.   The third candidate on the ballot, Christopher M. Agrella, a  Libertarian, polled 5%.

Judy Chu became a crossover candidate in the district traditionally represented by a Latino by building a multi-ethnic coalition and winning the backing of organized labor.   She emerged in first place in a 12-way primary May 19 but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.