Hong will assume the position next June. The Empire State sees not only its first Republican governor in sixteen years, but also its first Asian-American ever to attain State leadership. The narrow Republican win also spurs talk of the youth and lack of legislative experience of the appointee herself. Sha-fei Hong, 28, a third-year law student at Columbia University began working for the DellaFave campaign shortly after her arrival from Shanghai, China, initially to attend graduate school in political science at Gotham University. Ms. Hong is widely considered to be the protégée of Gordon Lou, 58, also a China native who had emigrated in the late 1940’s. Lou has built a successful garment business in New York City. He became involved with Republican politics after his retirement in 1985 and has since helped financially to establish the largest Buddhist Temple in the Tri-State area, The True Enlightenment located in Westchester County. Lou's generosity did not squelch speculation about his connection to the Asian underworld, an allegation he categorically denies.
