Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina made an appeal Sunday to Asian-American

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina made an appeal Sunday to Asian-American voters by emphasizing her desire to help owners of small businesses, a commitment that was questioned by her opponent’s campaign.

Fiorina and Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer are in a close contest less than six weeks before Election Day and are trying to position themselves as the one best suited to help turn around the nation’s struggling economy.

Fiorina addressed a crowd of about 400 during a voter-education forum hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association at California State University, Sacramento. She noted California is home to more Asian-American-owned small businesses than any other state.

The former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief executive said Boxer supports policies that have stifled private-sector job growth. She went on to say opportunities are no longer as plentiful in California because of high taxes and government regulation.

“Here in California, we are not just living through tough times, we are destroying jobs,” Fiorina said. “And at the same time we destroy jobs, we are as a consequence throwing our cities into bankruptcy.

“I think California is a warning of what happens if we continue down the same path in our state and also in our nation’s capital.”

California’s unemployment rate is 12.4 percent and has remained at 12 percent or above since August 2009.

Senator Barbara Boxer (D) was invited to the Sunday event but could not attend because of illness, said state Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, who spoke on her behalf.

via MercuryNews