AALDEF Survey: AAPI voters impacted election outcomes in battleground states

 

The Asian American and Pacific Islander electorate has been a difficult demographic to define because of it's vast diversity of cultures, nationalities, religions, languages and physical appearances.

Because of the great variance, political campaigns have historically overlooked the AAPI communities and concentrated in easier-to-reach blocks of voters. As result, campaigns neglect them, polls ignore them, and they are invisible to mainstream media.

Nationwide, there are about 11 million AAPI voters representing about 23 million people. However, in 2020, it is evident that AAPI communities have concentrated in specific districts, cities and states  making their votes critical for campaigns who take the time and resources to reach out to them.

There has also been a lack on data about the voting habits of AAPI communities. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), is one of the few groups -- besides API Vote and AAPI Data -- bothering to gather data on the increasingly impactful AAPI communities. Last week, the AALDEF released new data from its exit poll of 5,424 Asian American voters in 13 states and Washington, DC, noting the importance of the Asian American vote in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada.

Following is the AALDEF press release.

AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung said, “Asian Americans, especially new voters, were part of the record turnout of communities of color in the 2020 elections. Asian American voters played an important role in close races in several battleground states, and our voices must not be overlooked in the political process.”

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Since 1988, AALDEF has conducted multilingual exit polls in Asian American communities on Election Day. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the upsurge in voting by mail, AALDEF volunteers approached voters in Nevada and Florida during the early voting period and in all other states on Election Day, November 3, 2020.

Jerry Vattamala, AALDEF Democracy Program Director, said “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we dispatched more than 400 volunteers to polling places, interacting with voters in English and nine Asian languages through paper surveys or by providing voters with QR codes to complete the surveys online.”

Among all Asian American voters polled:

• Asian Americans favored Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of 68% to 29%.
• There was no gender gap between Asian American men and women, with 67% of women and 66% of men voting for Biden and both groups supporting Trump at 31%.
• The only ethnic group to favor Trump were Vietnamese American voters, by a margin of 57% to 41%.

The breakdown of voters by ethnicity was as follows:

First-Time Voters, Political Party, Nativity, English Language Proficiency, and Gender

• 27% were first-time voters; 73% were not first-time voters.
• 14% were registered Democrats; 16% were registered Republicans; 27% were not enrolled in a party; and 3% were enrolled in another party.
• 27% were native-born U.S. citizens; 73% were foreign-born naturalized citizens.
• 7% were limited English proficient (LEP); and 63% spoke English well.
• 52.9% were Female; 46.7% were Male; 0.4% Non-Binary.

BATTLEGROUND STATES

Pennsylvania

• Asian Americans decisively chose Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of 63% to 36%.
• All Asian ethnic groups supported Biden over Trump, except for Cambodian American voters (50% for Trump and 45% for Biden) and Vietnamese American voters (73% for Trump and 27% for Biden).
• Among voters not enrolled in any party, the breakout was 56% for Biden and 40% for Trump, and among voters affiliated with other parties, 54% for Biden and 39% for Trump.
• First-time voters supported Biden by a wide margin, 62% to 36%.

Georgia

• Asian Americans decisively chose Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of 62% to 36%.
• In the U.S. Senate races, Asian Americans voted for Democratic candidates over Republicans by a margin of 61% to 34%.
• All Asian ethnic groups in the state supported Biden over Trump except for Korean American voters (60% for Trump and 39% for Biden).
• Among voters not enrolled in any party, the breakout was 63% for Biden and 30% for Trump, and among voters affiliated with other parties, 60% for Biden and 20% for Trump.
• First-time voters supported Biden by a wide margin 61% to 36%.
• Asian Americans decisively chose Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of 85% to 13%.Michigan

Michigan

• In the U.S. Senate race, Asian Americans voted for the Democratic candidate over the Republican by a margin of 85% to 9%.
• All ethnic groups overwhelmingly voted for Biden, with 100% of both Arab and Pakistani American voters supporting Biden and 0% supporting Trump.
• Republican voters in Michigan crossed over much more frequently than voters in other states to support Joe Biden and did not vote along party lines as in other states (64% for Trump and 21% for Biden).
• Among voters not enrolled in any party, the breakout was 63% for Biden and 33% for Trump; and among voters affiliated with other parties, 67% for Biden and 33% for Trump.
• First-time voters supported Biden by an overwhelming margin 89% to 15%.

Nevada

• Asian Americans decisively chose Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a margin of 57% to 40%.
• Unlike other swing states, voters not enrolled in any party did not favor Biden over Trump, voting 46% for Biden and 46% for Trump.
• First-time voters supported Biden over Trump (63% to 37%) by wider margins than non-first-time voters, 53% for Biden and 42% for Trump.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions.

After celebrating historic Biden-Harris victory, AAPI advocates gird themselves for next steps

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris proclaim their victory Saturday, Nov. 7.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders celebrated Joe Biden's triumph at the polls, but having Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants on the same ticket heightened the emotional and historic note to the history-making political victory.

Harris, whose mother is from India, "broke one of the highest glass ceilings today by becoming the first woman, first Asian American, and first African American Vice President-elect in our nation’s history," said a statement from the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. 

"As the daughter of immigrants, she is a living example of the American Dream and a testament to millions of young girls across the nation that the sky is the limit." 

RELATED: AAPI celebrities overcome with joy

In a statement, the U.S. India Political Action Committee called Harris' election "one of the most inspirational days for young girls everywhere, especially Black and Indian girls. A victory for decency, class, truth, maturity and unity."

The U.S.-India Business Council e-mailed a statement to journalists congratulating  Harris and President-Elect Biden, calling their victory "truly a barrier breaking moment, and one that celebrates the diversity of America."

"America needed a leader who would be serious about solving the biggest health challenge of COVID and would set a positive tone in the nation and the world. Joe Biden is such a person and it is a big plus to have Kamala Harris as the vice-president to guide this nation towards the right direction,” said Dr Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) and Founder of EcoSikh.

Many  members of the AAPI communities noted that the Democrats' win was even more special considering the current administration's policies hurt immigrants and people of color.

"The last four years have been tough for Asian Americans, communities of color, and countless Americans. Starting with the Muslim Ban, President Trump’s policies made the poorest among us choose between feeding our families and a chance at a green card.," stated the Asian American Federation. "His policies also cut off pathways that brought immigrant families together and stoked the fires of racism that hurt us and our Black and Brown sisters and brothers, particularly during the pandemic."

For many, it was the first time that they took an active part in a political campaign and from their comments, the Biden-Harris campaign may be the launching pad for greater political participation.

"While this is a victory, we will not lose sight of the fact that representation alone is not power and that institutional systems have not changed," warns the Asian American Advancing Justice-Los Angeles statement. "There is still work to be done on issues that are essential to our community. We will work together to address anti-discrimination, immigration, human rights, healthcare access, voting rights and fair representation,"  

"Our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander brothers, sisters, and siblings deserve equity, peace, and justice that are only achieved with true democracy ... Election 2020 fortifies our commitment to the individuals who need us. No matter what happens in the White House, we will not stop striving for civil and human rights for our people.”

Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris issued a statement Sunday: "As Filipino Americans and others are aware, the Biden victory marks not just the end of the campaign, but the beginning of the real challenge of uniting what has become a divided country. Filipino Americans will have a role to play in this effort as well, by supporting the work of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as they implement their plan to control the spread of the coronavirus, get supplies to front-line healthcare workers, revitalize the economy and provide parents, seniors, families and entire communities with the hope and resources they need to survive and thrive in the face of what has become a challenging world."

The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, looking to the future and fearful that the conservative Supreme Court will rule against a woman's right to choose used the moment to look to the future and. asked Biden and Harris to balance the Supreme Court by adding new members.

"With the Supreme Court appointments of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, Trump has created a supermajority on the court of justices who are opposed to our values and priorities," said the NAPAWF statement. "We’re done waiting for devastating decisions to come down that take away our ability to make decisions about the formation of our families, provide for our loved ones, and to even exist in this country without fear. It’s time to expand the courts.”

Stop AAPI Hate cautioned that despite the pending change of administrations, acts of hate agaginst Asian Americans continue to rise.

"Over the past eight months, Stop AAPI Hate has received reports revealing that Asian Americans have been the victims of thousands of racist attacks since COVID-19 began to spread in our country and continue to live in a climate of fear and discrimination that impacts their daily lives. These attacks have been exacerbated by anti-Asian American rhetoric pushed forward by elected officials, as well as by dozens of policies from the previous administration. 

"It’s vital that the incoming administration takes immediate responsibility for challenging and addressing the racist hate that is in danger of permeating our society and undoing the xenophobic policies that target the Asian American community,” continued the statement from Stop AAPI Hate.

"Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities have turned out in record numbers this election cycle to make their voices heard. And Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have contributed greatly in their communities to make their voices heard in national politics, priorities and policies. In fact, our community turned out in historic numbers — by voting early, by mail or on Election Day," said the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

"The election of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris is a rebuke on the dangerous policies put forth by the Trump administration and will restore decency, productivity and progress to the White House," said the health advocates.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, who released a video of her dancing on h"er front porch celebrating the Biden-Harris victory, stressed the importance of being active advocates of democracy.

“Today is so much bigger than these two individuals or one political party. Today is only possible because people across our state and throughout our country put aside cynicism, doubts and fears to step up, speak out and organize—not only for this election but for the past four years of the Trump presidency," she said.

 

“Our work is only beginning. Our task is to keep momentum high and to remember that without young people, people of color, progressives, working people and the most vulnerable turning out in record numbers and tipping us to victory in key states, we would not have won," said Jayapal. "We must now organize for people-first policies that make opportunity for all a reality, to finally reckon with white supremacy and anti-Blackness and to chart a course that never, ever leaves even one of us behind."

AAPI voters could play a critical role in Presidential election

UPDATED Oct. 29, 1:45 p.m. to include Georgia developments.

It is a given that Asian American voters will have an impact in states like Hawaii, California, Nevada and New York where their numbers are large enough to determine election outcomes. 

But Asian Americans could also play pivotal roles in next week's elections in states outside of those population hubs. The Asian American populations in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Georgia and Arizona have sprouted significantly since the 2010 Census.

"If you take a look at the numbers of all the eligible AAPI voters in almost all of our battleground states, (they) outnumber the number of votes that we lost by (four years ago), so our community should feel proud and empowered," said Congresswoman Grace Meng, D-NY, in a virtual town hall meeting organized by a coalition of affinity groups supporting Biden, AAPIs for Biden.

Asian Americans, while not a large share of the electorate nationally, could swing the outcome of many individual congressional races. AAPI make up more than 10% of the voting-age population in 45 House districts, according to Census estimates compiled by AAPI Data.

While Congressional districts with the highest tally of Asian-American voters are mostly found in California, increasingly, the impact of AAPI votes are being felt in districts and states not usually linked to AAPI centers.

AAPI are moving away from the urban centers in California, New York City and Chicago, said Natalie Masuoka, a political scientist at UCLA. “The growth of Asian America really is in the suburbs.”

Asian Americans are dispersing across the entire country away from Hawaii and California and moving to Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina—the states with the fastest-growing populations. The number of Asian American residents in Florida and Pennsylvania has grown by more than 80% since 2010. South Asians are flocking to  Texas, where estimates show that the number of eligible Asian American voters rose by at least 40% between 2012 and 2018.

PENNSYLVANIA

Both parties see Pennsylvania as a key state and have been spending time and resources there. 

Pennsylvania's Asian American population has exploded by 99 percent since 2000, according to data compiled by APIAVote, a nonpartisan group. About 251,000 AAPI voters are spread across that state and they are getting noticed. Indian and Chinese Americans are the largest ethnic groups.

"When we first started, very few Asian organizations wanted to even do this work or even understood that they were allowed to do nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, get-out-the-vote activities," APIA Vote's Christine Chen told NBC News. "It's so exciting to see in 2020 not only do we have more organizations, but they're also organizing themselves as a coalition and working together."

In 2016, "Donald Trump [won] by 44,000 votes in the state of Pennsylvania," says Helen Gym, the first Asian American woman to serve on the Philadelphia City Council. Four years later, Gym, a Biden supporter, now says, "AAPIs are the margin of victory in Pennsylvania."

The presence of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, an Indian American, as Biden's running mate, could boost turnout among AAPI voters. Also on the ballot is Nina Ahmad, who was born in Bangladesh, who is running for state auditor general.

Increasing AAPI voter turnout can help the largely immigrant community play a bigger role in their communities beyond politics. "I believe Asian Americans can play a bigger role if we can break down the language barrier for some of our older residents or recent immigrants," said state Rep. Patty Kim, the first Asian American to serve in the Pennsylvania House.

GEORGIA

Joe Biden spent most of Tuesday in Georgia, trying to swing the state from Trump to the Democrats.. 

Asian Americans “literally will make up the margins of victory in key races across our battlefield,” said U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, chairwoman of the DCCC, in a press conference. Georgia's Republicans and Democrats have realized that, and major efforts are underway to reach the once-ignored demographic group.

“There’s a real misconception that Asian Americans don’t vote, and that’s becoming increasingly not true, especially as you have new voters coming on,” said Stephanie Cho, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, a nonpartisan nonprofi. 

"It’s critical for candidates, critical for parties, critical for anyone who does nonpartisan work to pay attention,” she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Today (Oct. 29) the #DearGeorgia, It’s Time campaign led by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (Advancing Justice-Atlanta) and supported by more than 30 voting rights organizations announced new in-language voting resources including officially translated ballots in Korean and Spanish that are available immediately. DeKalb County becomes the first county in Georgia to offer an officially translated ballot in an Asian language, and in doing so, also becomes the first county to voluntarily take steps beyond those required by the federal Voting Rights Act to expand meaningful language access.

Stephanie Cho, Executive Director of Advancing Justice-Atlanta, shared, “Today’s announcement marks a turning point for our fight to strengthen voting rights, ensuring that more Georgians will be welcomed and included in our democracy. We are moving from defense to offense. As we continue to protect voting rights, we will also focus our efforts to increase language access for Georgia’s more than 165,000 Limited English Proficient (LEP) voters.

Asian American voters make up only 2.5% of Georgia’s active registered voters, or about 193,000, so their votes will be key in races like the 7th Congressional District. In Gwinnett, where a quarter of the state’s Asian American population lives and where they make up 9.5% of registered voters.

“A lot of people in the state were not being talked to because we were not in a swing state,” said Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood, director of the Asian American Advocacy Fund told the AJC. “Asian American communities and immigrant communities were not considered a powerful voting bloc in 2016... But we have a massive voter population in key areas.”

“Before the vice presidential nomination, I didn’t feel as much excitement about the race as I did after the nomination of Kamala Harris,” said Mahmood. “I am thoroughly surprised to see how many Indian Americans are getting involved, volunteering with us or with campaigns. It’s a level of excitement in that particular community I haven’t seen before.”

“Representation matters, and especially for immigrant communities,” said state Rep. Sam Park, a second generation Korean American Democrat who represents parts of Lawrenceville and Suwanee. He told the AJC, “When they see themselves reflected in leadership, it’s a reminder that the American dream is alive and well, and if I can do it, so can they. It also sends a message that our government is inclusive, and our leadership is inclusive, and gives them incentive to participate in our democracy.”

From left: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Michigan Gov. Whitmer and Sen. Cory Booker.

MICHIGAN

Biden will be joined with President Barack Obama on Saturday when they will campaig in Michigan, traditionally a Democratic stronghold. In 2016, the state went to Trump. 

"What Democrats are trying to do and need to do if they're trying to be successful in the mid-terms and in the future is reach voters who don't look necessarily like a traditionally Democratic voter," said Adam Joseph, who canvassed with SAMOSA a group formed after 2016 to increase voting by Indian Americans.

Joseph was also the communications director for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's gubernatorial campaign. El-Sayed came in second to Gretchen Whitmer in the primaries.

"What I think is amazing about what's happening here is that these are Indian Americans knocking Indian doors," he.told. "This is the community ... engaging with itself."

The largest AAPI ethnic groups in Michigan include: Indian (112,368), Chinese (67,602), Filipino (40,847), Korean (32,893), and Japanese (20,883). From 2010 to 2016, the number of eligible AAPI voters in Michigan grew 31%. This compares to a 3% growth rate for the statewide eligible voting population between 2010 to 2016, according to AAPI Data.

The largest concentration of Asian Americans, about 44%, are in Detroit and it's suburbs, says AAPI Data.

In 2016, Truimp beat Hillary Clinton by only 10,704 votes, In that election, Asian American turnout was abysmal. AAPI activists believe that if AAPI voters had turned out in numbers comparable to the state average, Clinton could have won the state, and possibly the election.

"Our goal is to get people from our community out to vote. ...We felt that we are best equipped to do that because we are from the same community." says Shuvra Das, co-founder of SAMOSA. Indian Americans lean heavily towards the Democrats.

Harris has the Indian American community excited and hope to take part in a history-making vote. Trump's immigration policies which generally limited change of visas for workers and students has become a major issue for the largely immigrant community.

NORTH CAROLINA

Since 2012 the number of Asian Americans eligible to vote in North Carolina grew 55 percent, more than six times the statewide growth rate, according to the nonprofit Asian and Pacific Islander American vote.

In 2016, only about 57% of Asian American voted compared to the overall turnout of 69%.

“I think sometimes when people talk about Asian Americans as not as engaged, they don’t care about these things, I think that’s not necessarily true," says Phian Tran, the voting engagement director for North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT). "Thinking about the context of Asian American folks coming over and immigrating here, there are so many things to worry about.”

NCAAT recently released it's first poll of voter attitudes among North Carolina’s Asian American population.

“In the polling that we conducted we found that 59% of respondents to our polls say that health access including Medicare for all is among one of their most important public health priorities,” explains Ricky Leung, Senior Director of Programs.

The group says there are about 209,000 Asian American voters in the state, enough to influence the results of this year’s election.

For a democracy to function best, Tran says your civic duty can’t stop at the ballot box. “We cant just vote and say 'my job is done, I've fixed the world.' I don’t believe voting is the thing that’ll change and fix everything, but it’s a great step," he says.

Though Asian Americans make up just 3.5% of the state’s electorate, NCAAT says greater participation could’ve swayed some congressional races in 2016.

TEXAS

Until recently, Texas was not considered a battleground state. This Friday, the last day for early voting in Texas, Kamala Harris will be campaigning in the Lone Star state where she given a wildly enthusiastic welcome when she visited during her Primary campaign. 

Harris' visit is historic as it marks the first time a Democratic vice presidential candidate has campaigned in Texas since 1988 when Lloyd Bentsen, a native Texan was the ticket with Michael Dukakis.

Harris' multi-city visit is a sign that the Democrats think that their ticket could pull an upset in Texas, which has been in the GOP's hip pocket for several presidential cycles. If Biden-Harris could capture the state's 38 electoral votes, it would be a fatal blow to the Trump campaign.

A poll released over the weekend by the Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler shows Biden with a small edge over Trump, 48% to 45%.

In the run-up to Nov. 3, Texas Democratic Party’s AAPI Caucus, AAPIs for Biden and the Asian American Democrats of Texas have been conducting a campaign to celebrate and mobilize AAPI voters, running bilingual ads on radio, TV and ethnic media.

Biden is not the only Democrat that would benefit if Texas was to turn blue. There are sizable Asian American communities in Texas districts that hold an outsized importance this year. Democrats are hopeful that they can flip nine seats in the state House to gain a majority in the lower chamber ahead of next year’s legislative session. Key among those efforts are nine seats held by Republicans in which former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat, received more votes than U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. In two-thirds of those districts, the Asian share of the population is more than double the statewide share, according to the Texas Tribune. 

“There are some districts where there’s a significant enough level of organization and voters that can make a difference if it’s a matter of turnout and the races are close enough,” said Madeline Hsu, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Multiple U.S. House seats targeted by Democrats have large Asian American populations, too.

Perhaps the district where the impact of the targeted political campaigning is most clear is the 22nd Congressional District, where Indian AmericanSri Preston Kulkarni is running against Republican Troy Nehls for the seat being vacated by Republican Congressmember Pete Olson.

Kulkarni says his campaign is engaging with voters in 27 different languages in the diverse Fort Bend County district, once a conservative stronghold. The incumbent squeaked a win in 2018 against Kulkarni by only 5 percentage points. After Olson announced he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2020, Democrats identified the seat as one of their top targets.

“The Asian American voters my campaign is talking to every day are ready and enthusiastic for more representation in this country’s halls of power,” Kulkarni told the Texas Tribune. “I think the rise in Asian American turnout is a great sign for our race. These are voters who aren’t overly partisan, they just want reasonable leadership who will fight for them in Congress, rather than an ideology or a political party.”

Also benefitting by the Harris visit and the Democrats' push in Texas is Filipino American candidate Gina Ortiz Jones, running to fill the seat in Congressional District 23, one of the biggest districts in the nation, running along the Texas-Mexico border. Ortiz Jones received an early endorsement from Kamala Harris.

She has a 74% chance of winning the seat, according to Five Thirty-eight, the nonpartisan poll aggregation site. If she were to win, Ortize Jones would be the first openly Lesbian AAPI member of Congress.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions. 

Democrats air ads directed at AAPI voters.

SCREEN CAPTURE / BIDEN CAMPAIGN

Filipino WWII veterans appear in the new video aimed at AAPI communities.

The Democratic Party's first 60-second ad directed at Asian American and Pacific Islander communities was released Wednesday (Oct. 21) titled "Standing Together."

The aggressive outreach effort comes after some Biden supporters raised concerns over the summer about the lack of outreach to the AAPI electorate.

The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey by APIA Data and AAPI Vote showed that a majority of Asian Americans (54%) surveyed planned to vote for Joe Biden compared to just 30% who planned to support Republican incumbent Donald Trump. 

The poll also shows that about half of all respondents were not contacted by either major party. With a higher than average response of voters who register themselves as independent, the Democratics outreach will be critical to cement votes from Asian American voters.

This Biden-Harris campaign ad targets the AAPI electorate.

Biden was strongly favored among all national origin groups surveyed, except Vietnamese Americans. Among Vietnamese registered voters, support is higher for Trump (48%) than Biden (36%). Indian Americans are the most inclined to vote for Biden among all Asian American groups (66%). At the same time, 14% of Asian American registered voters remained undecided about their presidential vote choice, with Chinese Americans (22%) exhibiting the highest proportion of voters who said they were “undecided.”

Political parties have yet to harness the power of the Asian American vote despite the fact that many remain persuadable. The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey shows that about half of all respondents were not contacted by either major party. With a higher than average response of voters who do not subscribe with either party, party outreach will be critical for Asian American voters.

The centerpiece of the program is a television commercial titled “Stand Together.” The ad features a narrator framing Biden’s Democratic ticket as a return to American values alongside photos of families, workers and veterans from different Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. Biden’s running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, who is the first Indian-American vice presidential candidate, is featured prominently in the 60-second clip.

“It’s time to go home to a place we once knew, a country of kindness and compassion, empathy and community, tolerance and generosity, integrity and hope,” the narrator says in the ad. “It’s time to stand together in a place called America, the place we all call home. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris know the way.”

The survey, which was released last month, showed Biden beating Trump in multiple segments of the community, except among Vietnamese-Americans. The survey also indicated the Indian-American and East Asian American communities where Biden has an advantage still have undecided voters, which makes the space a clear growth opportunity for the Democratic ticket. 

The campaign declined to say exactly how much is being spent on the advertising push. However, in August, Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon released a memo saying Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders would be among the “key constituencies” targeted through a massive $280 million advertising spend. In that memo, O’Malley Dillon cited the Democratic advantage with these communities and noted that targeting them “could increase the party’s margin of victory in closely contested battleground states.”

Harris also touted the Biden campaign’s effort to reach a diverse selection of voters during the vice presidential debate on Wednesday.

“Joe and I are particularly proud of the coalition we’ve built around our campaign,” she said. “We probably have one of the broadest coalitions of folks that you’ve ever seen in a presidential race.”

U.S.-India relations is the focus of this ad.

A second ad was released this week targeting Indian American voters who like other AAPI groups, with the exception of Vietnamese Americans, strongly favor the Democratic ticket. 

Not surprisingly, one of the key reasons South Asians have flocked to the Democratics is Biden's running mate -- Indian American Kamala Harris.

In earlier surveys of the largely immigrant community, the Democrats' selection of Harris  health care, affordable health care, immigration, economic opportunities and education have overridden concerns about India-U.S. foreign policies and trade, which the Republicans have emphasized in Trump's palling around with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With a new ad targeting the Indian American community, the Biden campaign wants to respond to those Indian Americans who still have strong ties with their country of origin by showing that India and its economic and security concerns will not be overlooked by a Democratic administration.

The one AAPI ethnic group that was leaning towards Trump, according to the survey, was the Vietnamese community.

Earlier this year, Democrats scored a historical first by airing a spot in Vietnamese attacking Michelle Steel, GOP candidate for the 45th Congressional District in Southern California.

Biden also wrote an oped for a Nevada ethnic newspaper that was translated and published in Vietnamese.

Other video English-speaking ads appearing in social media has Mandarin or Cantonese subtitles.

In Texas with its large South Asian American communityi, the Biden campaign has been airing radio commercials, conducting phone banks and Zoom meetups in various Indian languages. AAPIs for Biden coalition work with affinity groups like South Asians for Biden and their ethnic national councils, including Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans.

“AAPI voters are the fastest-growing bloc in the electorate but very few efforts were made to reach them in previous elections. There is more uptick in terms of outreach to subgroups this time,” Harini Krishnan, California co-state director for South Asians for Biden, said to NBC.

“The understanding of the lack of outreach in 2016 really helped us in this election cycle to ensure we work to increase desi voter turnout.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: Updated Oct. 23, 10:30 a.m. to include new material and for clarification.

Kamala Harris gives Democrats a huge edge among Indian American voters

Vice President candidate Kamala Harris is making a difference for Indian American voters.

For Indian American voters, this November's election isn't just between Joe Biden and Donald Trump; it is also about choosing Kamala Harris or India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Republicans have tried to woo South Asian voters with a huge rally in Texas attended by Modi and 50,000 of his fans. A visit to India by a White House entourage headed by Trump was highly photogenic but produced little in trade or security agreements.

Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate dampened the Republican outreach. Although Trump was able to make some inroads with the largely immigrant community from India, the electorate from that community have historically leaned Democratic.

Indeed, a survey by YouGov, 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey, reported that 45% of respondents said that Harris’s nomination had made them more likely to vote, and 49% said they were more enthusiastic about supporting the Democrats. 

Since the 2010 Census, the Indian American community has become the fastest growing immigrant group leapfrogged to become the second largest Asian American community (after the Chinese), with the highest income and the highest education levels among all ethnic groups, including Whites.

Since 2016, the largely first-generation immigrant Indian Americans have jumped into politics in a big way. Besides electing four Indian Americans to Congress in 2016, they have the possibility of adding three or four more members to the House and Senate. In addition, Indian Americans have gotten politically active in state and local elections.

The report also showed that respondents cared more about issues affecting the Indian American community -- such as health care, the economy and the environment -- than relations with India and Modi.

Biden's campaign seems to sense this sentiment. On India's Indpendence Day, Biden said, “I know it is hard,” he said in a message. “My heart goes out to all those of you who have been the targets in the rise in hate crimes, the crackdown on legal immigration, including the sudden and harmful actions on H-1B visas that for decades have made America stronger... We will overcome and build back better than ever.”

In addition to making the right noises on the campaign trail, Biden has released a policy document – reportedly the first-ever by a presidential candidate – aimed exclusively at Indians. Among other things, it mentions his plans to reform the H-1B visa system, increase the number of visas, and eliminate “the limits on employment-based green cards by country, which have kept so many Indian families in waiting for too long.” India has the longest waiting list for U.S. visas with some waiting as long as two decades.

“Joe Biden has made it crystal clear that he is going to turn the clock back and eliminate the anti-immigration proclamations/executive orders put in place by Trump,” said Sheela Murthy, president of Maryland-based Murthy Law Firm, one of the largest immigration firms in the U.S.

Biden's policies are in stark contrast to Trump's consistent anti-immigrant positions since he's taken office including the attempt to restrict student and H-1B visas and the push for abandonment the family reunification priority produced by the 1965 Immigration Reform Act that did away with the immigration policy that favored Europe opening the doors to immigrants from Asia.

Since adding Harris, whose late mother came from India, the Indian American voters' lean towards the Democratic ticket has become a landslide. A survey from APIA Vote, AAPI Data and Advancing Justice found that 65% of Indian American voters favored the Biden-Harris ticket. Trump was only able to garner 28% of the community's vote.

In addition, a second response to the question if Harris' presence on the Biden ticket made the respondents more enthusiastic, 31% said it made no difference but 49% said that they are more enthusiastic because she is Biden's Vice President.

Besides the fact respondents see her as an Indian American and that Harris would fit well with Biden's moderate positions. 

And as both parties are finding out, the Indian American community is not afraid to show their support financially.

At a virtual event for Biden in September, the Indian American community raised $3.3M in one night - the target was $1.5M.

"It was a record for any single-night fundraiser and even Biden acknowledged it was because of her," says Ramesh Kapur, a Massachusetts-based Indian-American industrialist who has organized Democratic fundraisers for Democrats since Michael Dukakis unsuccessful Presidential campaign in 1988.

The Biden-Harris campaign targets ad campaign at AAPI voters

SCREEN CAPTURE / BIDEN CAMPAIGN

Democrats launch a major advertising campaign targeting AAPI voters. 

Joe Biden's and Kamala Harris' political campaign is not taking the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for granted despite recent polls that show AAPI voters strongly support the Democratic ticket.

Biden’s presidential campaign announced on Friday (Oct. 9) a historic media campaign targeting AAPI communities that will include ads airing nationally and in 16 key states. 

The paid media campaign will kick off with a 0:60 television ad titled “Stand Together,” featuring an AAPI narrator underscoring the importance of returning to American values of kindness, compassion, empathy, community, tolerance, generosity, integrity and hope. The ad focuses on how Joe Biden and Kamala Harris can lead the country back to these values and build back better for the AAPI community. 

Not surprisingly, Sen. Kamala Harris, the first Indian American and Asian American on a national ticket, is featured prominently. The paid campaign follows the historic Vice Presidential Debate, where Harris, daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, became the first Asian American to compete on a general election debate stage.

The television spot will be followed by digital, radio and print ads targeting specific AAPI constituencies in-language in key battleground states. These targeted ads will highlight issues of importance to AAPI communities and describe Joe Biden’s commitment to ensure that every member of the AAPI community is treated with dignity—no matter their race or ethnicity—and has a fair shot at the American Dream.

The ads are produced by Potomac Waves Media, a women and minority-owned full service media production firm that focuses on reaching communities of color, according to a press release from the AAPI for Biden committee.

Courtni Pugh, Potomac Waves Media partner and Biden for President Senior Advisor for Paid Media said: “As an Asian American woman, I’m proud that the Biden-Harris campaign is making an historic outreach effort in the AAPI community and that the campaign chose Potomac Waves Media, a women and minority-owned specialty media firm.”

The ads will air nationally on radio, digital and print platforms, as well as platforms in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The campaign’s paid media program is active in a total of 16 states — including the above states in addition to Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Ohio.

In August, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee made a $45,000 ad buy on a local Vietnamese-language cable television station in California, but the Biden campaign’s ad blitz is bigger and much more ambitious. Along with the television spot, the push will have digital, radio and print ads that the campaign says will be aimed at Asian-American and Pacific Islander constituencies “in key battleground states.”

Besides the ad campaign, Biden has developed an agenda specifically for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that includes his plans for immigration, entrepreneurship, education, affordable health plan and handling of the coronavirus.

Biden for President is building a broad coalition that is diverse and inclusive. The AAPI Coalition is made up of more than 16 affinity groups, including AAPI Staffers for Biden, AAPI Veterans and Military Families for Biden, Chinese Americans for Biden, Filipino Americans for Biden, Hmong Americans for Biden, Japanese Americans for Biden, Korean Americans for Biden, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders for Biden, Queer AAPIs for Biden, South Asians for Biden, Taiwanese Americans for Biden, Thai Americans for Biden, Vietnamese Americans for Biden, Japanese Americans for Biden, AAPI Millennials for Biden and Young AAPIs for Biden.

FilAm History Month: Biden-Harris reach out to Filipino Americans

FILIPINO AMERICANS FOR BIDEN

Democrat Joe Biden seeks Filipino American support in his quest for President.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the Democrat Party's nominees for President and Vice President, respectively, recognized Filipino Americans Friday as Filipino American History Month got underway.

In a statement issued Friday, Biden emphasized the role Filipino American nurses are playing in fighting the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 200,000 American lives since the nation's first recorded coronavirus-related death in February.

"Their heroism is a reminder that Filipino Americans embody the heart, the courage, and the values that define the United States," he stated. "We are a nation that has always been renewed by immigration and fortified by our diversity."

Biden's statement reads:

"Jill and I are proud to recognize Filipino American History Month and to honor the immense contributions that Filipino Americans make to our society. Whether fighting proudly in our armed services or fighting to advance social justice across the United States, Filipino Americans have enriched and strengthened every aspect of our country.

"And this year, as we battle a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 205,000 people in the United States and thrown our economy into turmoil, we have depended on the countless Filipino American essential frontline workers and caregivers who have helped carry our communities through this crisis. And we offer our prayers to the families of Filipino American nurses, who represent 4% of nurses in the United States, but make up more than 30% of nursing deaths due to Covid-19. Their heroism is a reminder that Filipino Americans embody the heart, the courage, and the values that define the United States. We are a nation that has always been renewed by immigration and fortified by our diversity. As President, I will build on that proud American legacy, including by celebrating the history of the Filipino American community and expanding access to a future of opportunity for all."

Biden's running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, represents California, the state with the nation's largest number of Americans of Filipino descent, 1.7 million, and where Filipinos make up 20% of the state's registered nurses, also issued a statement:

“Whether it’s breaking ground in the legal profession, art, sports, politics, service to our country, or countless other contributions to our communities – Filipino Americans are celebrated across California and our country for their courage, strength, and conviction. I’m proud to join my Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus colleagues as we not only lift up the stories of current and past visionaries, but also forge a path for the next generation to pursue their dreams. I hope everyone takes time to learn about the great contributions of Filipino Americans in communities across the country.”

California is also the place where the first recorded landing of any Asian on the shores of what was to become the continental United States. It was this historical event that the Filipino American National Historical Society designated October as Filipino American History Month.

On October 18, 1587, the Manila Galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza commanded by Pedro de Unamuno entered Morro Bay. A landing party included sailors from the Philippines landed at Morro Bay to claim the territory for Spain. Two days later the party was attacked with the indigenous people and one of the Filipino crewmen was killed.

Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate, the first Asian American on a presidential ticket.

OPINION:

It is hard not to feel a bit of excitement at Joe Biden's choice for his running mate, California's Sen. Kamala Harris, the first Asian American and first African American to run as Vice President in a major political party.

That excitement seems to be running throughout the Asian American and Black communities after Biden made his announcement today (Aug. 11).

“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” Biden tweeted.

It is a historic pick by former Vice President Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge incumbent Donald Trump.

Harris stayed out of the media's eye Tuesday, but in the age of social media, she tweeted: "@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals. I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief."

Biden and Harris are scheduled to meet the media together Wednesday in Delaware, Biden's home state.

If the Biden-Harris ticket wins in November, Harris would be the first Asian American, the first woman of any race or ethnicity and the second Black person in U.S. history to be vice president or president.

While most of mainstream media touted Harris' Black heritage during her unsuccessful attempt to win the Democratic nomination for President, AAPI communities noted that her mother is an immigrant from India.

"To those who might puzzle over seeing Harris as an Asian American candidate ... Harris has spoken powerfully about her Indian heritage and how it has connected up with the Black civil rights movement through the example and work of her mother," tweeted Karthick Ramakrishnan of AAPI Data.

Biden’s search was expansive, including Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Thai American veteran whose moderate position largely mirrored Biden's, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a leading progressive; Florida Rep. Val Demings, whose impeachment prosecution of Trump won plaudits; California Rep. Karen Bass, who leads the Congressional Black Caucus; former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, whose passionate response to unrest in her city garnered national attention.

As a prosecutor, former state attorney general, and now senator with national recognition, Harris has the ability, stature, and experience essential for vice president. While there is consternation among progressives about her tough on crime record, this could benefit Biden and allow him to attract centrists and even moderate Republicans, many of whom realize Trump's unpredictable behavior doesn't reflect their own positions but are worried by the left's demands to reappropriate funds destined for the police.

Harris was born in Oakland to a Jamaican father and Indian mother, ‎Shyamala Gopalan‎, who realized that her daughters would always be recognized for their Blackness and deliberately raised them in the Oakland-Berkeley Black community, attending a Black Baptist church on Sundays. Harris' mother balanced that out with summer trips to India to strengthen that link to their Asian heritage.

After earning an undergraduate degree from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings, she began her career in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Harris won her first election in 2003 when she became San Francisco’s district attorney.

She was elected California’s attorney general in 2010, the first woman and Black person to hold the job, and focused on issues including the foreclosure crisis. She declined to defend the state’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage and was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2017, she was sworn in to represent the state in the US Senate.

Additionally, as a black woman who was a major contender for the Democratic nomination and who is left of center on most issues (but not the extreme left), Harris is uniquely positioned to generate the high level of excitement and enthusiasm within the party's diverse interest groups that Biden needs.

As Biden delayed his announcement by a week, various interest groups began lobbying for a particular candidate to be Biden's choice and for fair treatment for the woman Biden would eventually pick.

Ahead of Harris' selection, an influential group called We Have Her Back — which includes former Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen of TimesUp, it also came from leaders from Planned Parenthood and Emily's List — sent a letter to media outlets urging fair coverage of the vice presidential candidate.

"Women have been subject to stereotypes and tropes about qualifications, leadership, looks, relationships and experience. Those stereotypes are often amplified and weaponized for Black and Brown women. Attempts at legitimate investigations of a candidate have repeatedly turned into misguided stories that perpetuate impressions of women as inadequate leaders, and Black and Brown women as worse. 

The letter continued, urging the media to resist popular coverage tropes such as "likeability" and "electability" for candidates who happen to be women — analysis they point out is hardly ever applied to male candidates.

Harris had one thing the other vice president contenders did not. She had a close friendship with Biden's late son, Beau Biden, who was the Attorney General for Delaware when Harris, as California's Attorney General, was battling the big banks over the mortgage crisis. 

Harris’s friendship with Beau Biden, who died in 2015 at the age of 46 from brain cancer, was something that Biden said he “thought a lot about” as he pondered his vice president pick. “There is no one’s opinion I valued more than Beau’s and I’m proud to have Kamala standing with me on this campaign,” Biden wrote in a campaign email.

In a statement, Obama offered his congratulations to Harris, who chaired his Presidential campaign in California.

"She is more than prepared for the job," Obama said of Harris. "She's spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see ourselves in: a story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there's a place for you here. It's a fundamentally American perspective, one that's led us out of the hardest times before. And it's a perspective we can all rally behind right now."

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Illinois, who was also among the finalists on Biden's list of potential running mates, congratulated the Biden-Harris ticket on Twitter.

The Indian American media and community has been keeping a close eye on Biden's campaign anticipating and advocating for Harris.

For a lot of people, the Kamala Harris pick struck a very personal chord. "Not gonna lie...tears...," tweeted Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Council of Civil and Human Rights.

“The fact that Democrats picked the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants for VP tells you what we stand for," tweeted Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Silicon Valley. 

"(Harris) represents a multi-racial, multi-cultural future for America.” said the Indian American lawmaker.

"This will be an important educational moment for America, as we learn to fully include South Asians, including multi-racial South Asians like Harris, in the Asian American story," says Ramakrishnan.

Wide swath of AAPI leaders endorse Joe Biden for President

Joe Biden reaches out to the AAPI communities.

More than 250 leaders from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community endorsed Joe Biden for President from actors to politicians, from business leaders to community advocates demonstrated the wide base of support for the preseumtive Democratic nominee to run against Donald Trump.

"Now more than ever, we need leadership in the White House that will strive to knit Americans together, rather than tear us apart. Vice President Biden has a proven track record of standing with the AAPI community, and he has demonstrated a strong understanding of the diverse needs and challenges we face,” said DNC AAPI Caucus Chair Bel Leong-Hong. 


“Our endorsement today comes at a critical time for the AAPI community. As the entire country grapples with Donald Trump’s catastrophic coronavirus response, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are being hit especially hard. Trump’s utter failure of leadership has stoked xenophobia, while inflaming already existing economic and health disparities in our community. When Joe Biden is President, the AAPI community will have an ally in the White House who will fight to create a fair and humane immigration system, invest in small businesses, collect disaggregated data, and ensure that hate has no safe harbor in our country.”

The group includes members of the DNC AAPI Caucus, prominent state and local officials, community leaders, organizers, advocates, and the entire AAPI Legislative Caucuses from California, Maryland, and Hawaii. In their endorsement, the group praised Biden’s unique ability to “heal our nation’s soul” and applauded his “compassion, humanity, honor, integrity, and steady leadership.” 

READ the full endorsement and list of endorsers here.

The announcement reflects the broad coalition of support that Biden is building across the AAPI community. 

Earlier this year, Biden earned the endorsement of the AAPI Victory Fund and ASPIRE. The AAPI community will be decisive in determining the outcome of the 2020 election in key battleground states like Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Virginia, and Arizona.


Asian Americans have a strong leaning towards the Democrats, largely for the party's position on health care for all and immigration reform. Thirty-three percent of English-speaking Asian American voters were Republicans in 1994, which grew in the early 2000s and then plummeted to 17% by 2019. Asian American support for Democrats grew from 53% to 72% between the late 1990s and 2019.

READ Joe Biden's Agenda for Asian American and Pacific Islanders

The wide breadth of support, which includes actors Lou Diamond Phillips, Actor and Mark Dacasos to business leaders Shekar Narasimhan, Chair of the AAPI Victory Fund and community advocates Glen Fukushima, Co-Founder of CAPA21 and Irene Natividad, Co-Chair for Endorsement at Asian American Action Fund, demonstrates that the AAPI community isn't monolithic.

“Asian Americans are leaning more progressive and show higher approval of how the Democratic Party overall handles issues on jobs/economy, health care, education and race,” said Christine Chen, executive director of civic engagement nonprofit APIAVote. “These endorsements definitely follow that trend and shows the effort of AAPI leaders that want to support what they think is best for their communities.”