Representative Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, during a news conference about a Signal messaging chat used by Trump administration officials, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Wanxiang Group posthumously awarded the company’s founder, Lu Guanqiu, the title of "National Outstanding Communist Party Member" in a 2021 press release and praised Guanqiu for his "pursuit of communism as a lifelong ideal and practice." The press release also said Guanqiu, the late father-in-law of Pin Ni, "has always listened to the [Chinese Communist] Party and followed the Party," a Fox News Digital review found earlier this year.
The press release continued by quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping's praise of Guanqiu, saying he was "in line with the Party Central Committee. He always actively does what our Party committees and governments at all levels advocate."
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during his joint press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban following their talks at the PM's office, the former Carmelite Monastery, in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI via AP)
Sherrill isn't the only Democrat running for governor in November to be faced with questions about donations from Pin Ni.
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger took $50,000 from the CCP-tied businessman in two $25,000 installments in April and May, Fox News Digital previously reported.
The donations sparked criticism from Spanberger's Republican opponent, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
"Taking $50,000 from someone with clear Chinese Communist Party ties tells us all we need to know," her campaign spokesperson said at the time. "You can’t claim to stand up to foreign threats while pocketing money from someone celebrated by the CCP."
A Spanberger campaign spokesperson said, "Virginians know that Abigail Spanberger has a demonstrated record of standing up for America’s national security, delivering results for Virginia families across party lines, and never backing down from keeping the American people safe."
"Her campaign will remain focused on what Virginians care about most, keeping our communities safe, driving down costs, protecting Virginia jobs, and making sure Virginia’s public schools are the very best in America," the spokesperson added.
Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-gubernatorial-nominee-facing-heat-for-taking-donations-from-ccp-linked-tycoon-disqualifying