Senator Steven Choi

Party: Republican

District: California State Senate District 37

Current Position: State Senator

Steven Seokho Choi was born on January 15, 1944, in Naju, South Korea, making him a first-generation immigrant to the United States. He is 82 years old and has built a distinguished career as an educator, small business owner, and public servant.

After immigrating to the United States, Choi worked as a language instructor for the Peace Corps in Hawaii before establishing himself in academia and library science. He later became involved in business ownership and community education, eventually transitioning into public service. Choi served as Mayor of Irvine and was a member of the Irvine City Council before his election to the California State Assembly.

In 2024, Choi made a significant electoral achievement by narrowly defeating Democratic Senator Josh Newman in one of California's most competitive races, despite Newman having raised substantially more campaign funding. This victory secured his position in the state senate.

Education

Choi holds multiple advanced degrees. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea. He later obtained a Master's degree from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Library & Information Science.

Political Experience

Choi's public service career spans multiple levels of government:

• Irvine Unified School District Trustee: Elected on his first attempt, which sparked his broader political involvement
• Irvine City Council: Municipal representative
• Mayor of Irvine: Led the city government
• California State Assembly: Served as Assemblymember from 2016 to 2022
• California State Senate: Elected to represent District 37 in 2024

During his current legislative session, Choi has initiated 30 bills, with 1 passed, 12 failed, and 17 pending.