ATHENS, GA– While the audible laugh in the audience makes this seem like a comedy club, this guy is not a comedian…but a candidate running for the Georgia Senate. His name is Eugene Yu.

Tonight he speaks candidly to the student Republicans of UGA. He says to them, “I may be a little different from you, I may talk a little different than you. Some people say I have a South Carolina accent…”

Yu says he is a living example of the American Dream.

“The young boy came to America, and after 42 years, here I am. I am running for U.S. Senate,” he shares his story as he proudly reminisces on his journey to where he is today.

He came to the U.S. when he was just 14 years old. Following his college graduation, he became a fireman. Then he served as a U.S. military police officer, and he currently owns a small business in Augusta, Georgia that refurbishes military vehicles.

Now he’s fighting for a different job, one that is not familiar to him or most Asian Americans, but Eugene says that he is not afraid to take this hike into unchartered territory. He says, “Our mentality is always that politics is not for us. So I said wait a minute, we may be Asian, but we are American. We live in this country. We are part of this society.”

Despite this valiant bravery, his campaign has not come without cost. He has received a lot of criticism….simply for being Korean.

Here are a couple Facebook posts written about Eugene’s campaign:

“Oh. A Kenyan for President. Now a Korean for Congress. Not if my vote counts for anything.”

“Vote for America. And ancestors of Americans…our rights are being taken over by others that came here.”

“WE NEED ANOTHER IMMIGRANT LIKE WE NEED ANOTHER HOLE IN OUR HEAD. IF THEY WERE NOT BORN FROM THE REVOLUTION FIGHTERS WHO MADE AMERICA THE NATION WE DON’T NEED THEM IN OUR GOVERNMENT.”

Sticks and stone may break his bones, but do words hurt Eugene Yu?

His answer?…..Not really.

He says,“I just take it as human nature. Humans are not always filled with love and understanding for those who are different. I must understand that, and I must face it.”

With 10 months left in the Georgia Senate race, Eugene compares it to running a marathon every day (rightfully so), but the reason he isn’t running out of breath any time soon? He thanks his sense of humor.

Joy Lee, Grady NewSource