(Phoenix) – Kimberly Yee released the following statement regarding her victory in the Arizona State Treasurer election, making her the first female Chinese-American Republican to be elected in a major statewide race in the country's history: "I am honored to be elected by the people of Arizona as their State Treasurer. Throughout my campaign, I have always stressed that Arizona taxpayers need honesty, integrity and transparency in their government. Our money matters, and I am excited and humbled the great people of Arizona have elected me to manage and protect their hard-earned taxpayer dollars. I have been blessed to serve in the Arizona Legislature as the Republican Senate Majority Leader and I am proud of my record of accomplishments. I now look forward to serving as Arizona's State Treasurer and will always put the needs of Arizonans first."  Prior to elective office, Kimberly Yee served in the Arizona State Treasurer's Office from 2007-2010 on the executive team of former Arizona State Treasurer Dean Martin and was endorsed by five former elected Arizona State Treasurers.  Born and raised in Arizona, Kimberly Yee was the first Asian American woman elected to serve in the Arizona Legislature in 2010. She served as the second woman elected to serve as Senate Majority Leader in Arizona's history, following U.S. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who served the position of Senate Majority Leader in 1973.  The Arizona Treasurer is one of six statewide elected officials, is a constitutional statewide officeholder and is third in line in succession to the Governor.  The Arizona Treasurer manages approximately $15 billion in assets under management. Contact: Press Office (602) 456-9536 info@kimberlyyee.com www.kimberlyyee.com WATCH: Kimberly Yee acceptance speech in AZ state treasurer race

The Republican Party is seeing momentum in Asian Pacific American (APA) communities across the country, especially in Arizona. With only 27 days left until Election Day, candidate for state treasurer Kimberly Lee and AZGOP Strategic Initiatives Director Monica Yelin phone banked with volunteers and contacted voters to make sure they know how important it is to defy history this election cycle.

The office of state treasurer isn’t very sexy to talk about, but it’s an important race that deserves your consideration when you step into your polling place next week. The state treasurer is tasked with managing the state’s $13.4 billion investment portfolio. The treasurer also serves as chairman of the state’s Board of Investment and State Loan Commission, doubles as the state’s surveyor general and is a member of the state land selection board. It’s a job that requires deep knowledge of the financial world and experience in state government. Republicans are being asked to choose between State Sen. Kimberly Yee and Jo Ann Sabbagh in the Aug. 28 primary. Whoever wins will face Democrat Mark Manoil in the November general election. Yee is the obvious choice. As the current majority leader in the Arizona Senate, she's been endorsed by five former state treasurers, including Jeff Dewit, who resigned from the position a few months ago to accept a position as NASA's chief financial officer. Moreover, Yee has the financial chops. Before becoming a state senator in 2010, she served in the office of former Treasurer Dean Martin. Sabbagh is more of an unknown quantity for voters. She has more than 30 years of experience as a professional accountant, and she's served on several government committees and on the boards of professional institutions. It's still unclear, however, how Sabbagh's professional experience would translate into a political career. Sometimes, that's not a dealbreaker, but Sabbagh hasn't spent as much time introducing herself to potential voters outside the states metropolitan areas. Yee, meanwhile, has put in the legwork. She was in Lake Havasu City earlier this month, and she told the News-Herald she's traveling across the state in an effort to maximize her outreach. More importantly, Yee has made her priorities clear, which go beyond responsible fiscal management. If elected, Yee says she would like to promote a program that teaches children financial literacy. Yee has a smart and sound vision for Arizona's financial future and she deserves your vote on Tuesday, and again in November. — Today's News-Herald