The votes of 24 million Asian American voters could play a decisive role in the forthcoming presidential election, according to several analysts. NBC spotlighted the 2020 Georgia election, where Asian American voters represented 84% of the turnout. Without this significant participation, Biden’s presidential win could have been in jeopardy.
In Georgia’s U.S. Senate race the following year, Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock secured victory in the runoff, largely due to extensive outreach in the Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese communities. He garnered 78% of the Asian vote.
The power of the Asian vote has grown substantially in recent years, and as their voting patterns shift, politicians are paying attention.
Nationally, Asian voter participation rose from 49% to 59% in 2020, surpassing every other ethnic and demographic group. Their active engagement was evident in the 2020 presidential race, with Biden securing 72% of the Asian vote, as reported by Pew Research. This was crucial in swing states like Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.
In Nevada, where Asians make up only 10% of the electorate (215,000), 66% supported the Democrats, while 26% sided with the Republicans. The election resulted in Catherine Cortez Masto (D) winning by a slim 0.8% margin.
Both the Democratic and Republican parties are keenly aware of the Asian voting bloc’s potential influence.
Pew reports that 62% of Asian voters lean towards the Democrats, while about 34% favor the Republicans.
The GOP faces challenges as traditionally conservative Asian voters have shown tendencies to gravitate toward the Democratic party in recent times. Factors such as the rise in hate crimes post-pandemic and the influence of second-generation Asian Americans play a role in this shift.
The younger, university-educated Asian Americans tend to vote Democratic, while the older generation, educated outside the U.S., lean more towards the Republicans.
However, there are exceptions, with conservative state representatives like Young Kim and Michelle Steel in Orange County. Despite this, NBC’s data suggests potential shifts if the Democratic Party ramps up its engagement.
Rep. Ro Khanna, familiar with Biden’s policies, stated in an interview, “The Asian American vote will be instrumental in states like Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. The Democrats plan to double down on the ‘American dream’, highlighting immigration and welfare issues.”
The GOP, cognizant of the Democratic strategy, intends to make significant investments in wooing Asian voters in key states for the next election.
“Our goal is to resonate with Asian voters by emphasizing traditional conservative values. This is central to our strategy to win back both the White House and the Senate,” said Emma Vaughn, National Press Secretary at the Republican National Committee.
Reflecting this strategy, the GOP launched the “Asian Pacific American Community Center” in Westminster, Orange County, with visions for more than 40 such centers across the U.S. As the battle for Asian American voters intensifies, political analysts anticipate a dynamic campaign season ahead.
BY BRIAN CHOI [choi.inseong@koreadaily.com]
