Ali Taj for California State Assembly Campaign Fundraiser in the Sacramento Area
By Ras H. Siddiqui
Ali Sajjad Taj is running for a seat on the California State Assembly in 2026. He is currently the Mayor of the City of Artesia, just southeast of Los Angeles, an area which is a picture of ethnic diversity, especially with its South Asians (it contains California’s “Little India”).
If one expands the canvas to California Assembly District 67 which Taj hopes to represent in future, the picture is multicultural too. Even though the district may lack the glamor of Hollywood, it does contain another high-profile venue, the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland. Taj hopes that its magic rubs off on him next year so he can win. He is a believer in magic, one who has so far lived his American dream as an immigrant from Lahore, Pakistan. He started off by mopping floors at a Good Guys store and has since achieved success in the financial services industry.
The pragmatist in Taj has been activated as he has learnt over his many years in Artesia city politics that it requires more than magic and charisma to win an election to any public office in America. It requires resources. And that is especially true for California. For that goal he has become visible to all communities around the state in which the South Asian community is no exception. Khalid Saeed, an active member of the Muslim community in the Sacramento/Woodland region has already assisted him with local introductions. So, it was no surprise that Taj was invited to fundraise in Loomis, California (Northeast of Sacramento) on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the lakeside residence of Maqsood Ali where the host along with Br Asif Sattar spearheaded the arrangements. Close to eighty people, including some “who’s who” from the local community attended.
Several people addressed this fundraiser offering both encouragement and being inspired by Taj and his candidacy. It would not be feasible to share more on what they had to say here due to article length constraints. So, we will focus on what Mayor Ali Taj had to say about himself and why he is a strong candidate for California State Assembly District 67 which is currently being represented by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva a Democrat, who has incidentally endorsed Taj to replace her. The district also has a significant Republican voter presence so any future election will have to incorporate their voting strength. Hispanic, Asian, and White voters constitute most of the Assembly District 67 population and winning their vote will be essential.
Mayor Ali Taj started his speech by thanking the hosts for opening their home and heart to his campaign. He also commended the speakers who took to the stage here along with all who came out in support. He said that this is not about him but about our (California) community. His story is also like our American (immigrant) story, about those who come here with nothing and through hard work, often starting at minimum wage, made something of themselves (like becoming the mayor). Starting off (in his case) with mopping floors, selling electronics, and then striving for and achieving higher positions, ending up establishing a successful business.
Mayor Taj also shared why he chose to run for public office (not too many immigrants do). It was mainly because the City of Artesia had given him so much, and he wanted to give something back to the place which gave him a humble start when he had no job. He also mentioned that Artesia is already known for its South Asian (Desi) community presence and that he wanted to represent their viewpoint too. Taj shared some of the hurdles that he faced when he started his journey into local politics. He did not give up and physically knocked on many local doors and shared his message with the voters. This eventually led to a win against an incumbent who had been in office for many years, and he won by only seventeen votes! If anyone works hard, they can do it, he said.
The Mayor of Artesia also shared his journey after arriving in the Los Angeles area from Lahore in 1999, following his father who used to work for Habib Bank, who himself retired and joined his siblings here. Taj’s idea of the American Dream originally was that there would be a cushy job waiting for him, but the realty was very different (like many of us have discovered that to get anywhere in America one must really work hard, often starting from scratch).
Fast forward, here he is, hoping to make more of a difference by running for office in a state which is by itself the fourth largest economy in the world. California, with roughly 40 million people, has a GDP of over three trillion dollars! Taj said that we need to be at the table and represent not only our own community by bringing up its issues (Eid or Diwali holiday) but work for the betterment of all Californians. He said the trajectory looked good, and he was working towards his goal. Fundraising is extremely important, he added. There are two opponents who are engaged in raising money too and this is going to be a tough race.
A vigorous Question and Answer session followed Mayor Taj’s speech. One gathered that his focus would remain in two key areas, namely fiscal responsibility, and public safety which he considers an extension of his current role in Artesia. Let us hope that he gets elected to the California Assembly seat, to serve our state at a higher profile. But to get there he needs fiscal support for his candidacy. He already has both experience and merit, which is a good start.
