Texas primary: AANHPI political influence diluted by GOP redistricting

MOCHI MAGAZINE

Texas is home to the nation’s fastest-growing AAPI population, but for many, the "Texas Miracle" feels more like a disappearing act at the ballot box. As the March 2026 primary currently underway Asian American voters are grappling with a political landscape that is simultaneously courting their vote and cutting their influence.

While the community’s numbers are surging, their collective voice is being intentionally muffled by GOP-led redistricting at the behest of Donald Trump. The redistricting is intended to increase the Republican's hold on the state's political leadership.

Unlike California's redistricting where voters decided to redraw the congressional district maps, Texas redistricting was forced on the voters by the GOP-dominated legislature, which voted on the measure in the middle of the night while most Texans were asleep. The state's voters had absolutely no say.

In what is known as he "Crack and Pack" strategy, lawmakers have used "surgical precision" to split heavily Asian neighborhoods in Fort Bend and Collin counties across multiple districts.

In Collin County’s CD-3, the share of Asian eligible voters was slashed from 10.8% to just 5.3% by shifting residents into the overwhelmingly white CD-4, which stretches all the way to the Oklahoma border.

In the Houston area, communities in Sugar Land—the most Asian town in Texas—were "fractured" and combined with rural populations hundreds of miles away to prevent them from forming a cohesive voting bloc.

Identity politics: A house divided

However, it is important to note that Texas AANHPIs are not a monolith, and the 2024 election proved it. While still leaning Democratic, the GOP has made significant inroads, particularly as voters move toward the center on economic issues.

Indian Americans remain a Democratic stronghold (55% Dem vs. 16% GOP), while Vietnamese Americans lean significantly more Republican (44% GOP vs. 30% Dem).

Chinese American voters are increasingly non-aligned, splitting almost evenly between both parties and a large 38% identifying as Independents.

Filipino Americans are often noted as being among the more liberal-leaning ethnic groups within the Asian community, even as they face pressure from GOP gains with minority voters. As a result the largest segment of FilAm voters (40%) vote Democrat as Republicans and independents split the remaining 60%.

Trump's immigration policies and the GOP's positions on other key issues have tilted the 2024 trend to the right back to the Democrats.

Issues beyond the pocketbook

Economic anxiety is high, but "non-pocketbook" issues are the real primary catalysts this cycle:

• Safety & Gun Reform: A massive 77% of AAPI Texans support stricter gun laws, a priority sharpened by recent tragedies in suburban hubs like Allen and Frisco.

• Fighting the "Land Bans": Proposals like Senate Bill 147, which targeted citizens from China and other countries for property ownership bans, have acted as a lightning rod, fueling fears of a return to "perpetual foreigner" exclusion.

• Education & Public Goods: There is fierce resistance to school vouchers, with most voters preferring to protect the public school districts (like Plano and Katy) that drew them to the suburbs in the first place.

View from the Edge

According to the Texas Secretary of State, more than 18.6 million Texans are registered to vote in the March 3, primary elections, a new record high. Early voting ends today, Feb. 27.

Democrat Taylor Rehme's upset victory three weeks ago in a special election for the Texas state senate by a double-digit margin in a district that voted for Trump in 2024, takes control from Republicans for the first time in decades serves as "a wake-up call" for the midterm elections.

Democrats are also heartened by the turnout in early voting, perhaps spurred by the highly contested race for the US Senate between Rep. Jasmin Crockett and James Talarico.

With roughly 80% of AAPI Texans feeling their interests are not well-represented in government, key strategies for 2026 include addressing economic concerns, increasing language accessibility, and building long-term local power.

However, even with the new enthusiasm and political wins, the redrawn congressional districts will definitely tamp down the AANHPI vote, which is not monolithic. However, both parties would be foolhardy to ignore the voters in this community, which could sway the results in competitive races.

In 2026, the "sleeping giant" of Texas politics isn't just waking up—it’s looking for a reason to stay in the room. As the AAPI community continues its streak as the fastest-growing demographic in the Lone Star State, the roadmap to 2026 is less about stump speeches and more about showing up where the parties haven't.

It may be too late for the primary but something to consider for the mideterms in November: To win the AANHPI vote in 2026, engagement can't be a last-minute flyer; it has to be a conversation.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

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One-in-Six Asian American voters in 2022 reported feeling threatened when casting their ballots

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander voters are finally getting the attention they've wanted but they're not always getting the attention need.

Instead of receiving more information from the major political parties, AANHPI voters have been deluged with a garbage can full of disinformation.

Instead of getting praise for their increased political involvement, AANHPI voters are receiving threats and facing roadblocks to casting their ballots.

The 2022 National Poll of Asian American Non-Voters and Voters released May 30 found that one-in-six Asian American voters described feeling threatened when they went to the polls in 2022, though most Asian American voters generally found the voting process easy. When asked, non-voters reported that better candidates and more information on candidates might entice them to vote in future elections.

RELATED: Most AANHPI voters are Democrats, except Vietnamese

“Asian Americans are the fastest growing electorate in the United States with more than 8.4 million who are registered to vote,” said Terry Ao Minnis, Senior Director of Census and Voting Programs at Advancing Justice – AAJC. 

“This survey represents a unique study of Asian Americans’ experiences with voting and insight into why approximately 5.2 million Asian Americans have yet to register to vote.”

The 2022 National Poll of Asian American Non-Voters and Voters was conducted by BSP Research in the weeks following the 2022 midterm elections. The survey interviewed 2,100 Asian American voters and 700 non-voters about their views and experiences during the election.

“More than one-in-two voters reported encountering what they thought to be election-related misinformation at least 'somewhat often',” said Taeku Lee, lead researcher. 

“This suggests that more research is needed to understand the relationship between misinformation and voters' experiences. Moreover, additional research should examine whether this relationship holds true across subgroups and for specific demographics (like Limited English Proficient Asian Americans).”

Key findings from Asian American non-voters:

• Non-voters were also confident that every ballot was counted in their state, but less so than voters. They were also less confident and trusting in election news coverage. Additional research could help to determine the extent of non-voters’ confidence and the motivations behind their concerns. 

• Like voters, non-voters relied on a variety of mainstream and social media sources for their news. They also generally trust their news sources, although less so than voters. Like voters, a majority reported encountering what they thought was misinformation in the 2022 elections. Those who were registered to vote but did not turnout were much likelier to 2 encounter what they believed to be made-up stories than non-voters who were not registered to vote.

• Non-voters were less likely to be contacted about the election, especially from campaigns and parties. 

• Non-voters stated that keys to their turnout next time were better information on the candidates and better candidates.

Key findings of Asian American voters:

• Asian Americans who voted in 2022 overwhelmingly felt confident that votes were properly counted, believed that the elections were well run, and reported that voting was easy. However, more research is needed to know which groups found voting easy and whether this was true across the board. For example, did certain subgroups—such as LEP Asian Americans—find voting more difficult? Or did they find it easy once they were able to understand the process? 

• Voters relied on a variety of sources for election news; more than two-thirds cited mainstream media and one-in-two cited social media sources. About 80% of voters trusted the news sources they relied on at least “a fair amount.” 

• More than one-in-two voters reported encountering what they thought to be election related misinformation at least “somewhat often.” Perceived misinformation concerning the voting process itself occurred in one-in-five cases. 

• Voters reported encountering stories that warned about threats of violence or rioting on Election Day in one-in-five cases. 

• Two-in-three Asian Americans chose to vote absentee or early. 

• The most common reasons cited for voting absentee or early were long lines and limited hours on Election Day, COVID concerns, scheduling conflicts, and the convenience of absentee or early voting. 

• One-in-six Asian American voters in 2022 reported feeling threatened while voting. 

• Voting assistance was widely used but not always available. One-in-two voters said in language assistance was available and two-in-five used that assistance. 

• Two-in-five voters were contacted by parties and campaigns and one-in-four were contacted by non-partisan community-based organizations. 

FYI: Read the full survey report here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter or at his blog Views From the Edge.

AANHPI advocates urge Biden to strengthen voting access and rights for 2024

Efforts by federal departments to promote and protect voting rights has had mixed results after President Biden issued the Executive Order Promoting Access to Voting two years ago.

A recent report — Strengthening Democracy: A Progress Report on Federal Agency Action to Promote Access to Voting — commemorating the two-year anniversary of  the Voting Access executive order's announcement shows that while a few federal agencies are on the right track to completing implementation, several others have fallen behind and risk not achieving the order's potential before the end of 2024. 

A letter to Biden from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 230 national organizations committed to promoting and protectin civil and human rights, emphasized the need to implement the goals set out by the executive order before the next Presidential election in 2024.

The report found that it is becoming increasingly difficult to register to vote and cast a ballot despite Biden's order issued on the anniversary the Selma voting rights march.

Voter registration remains a hurdle for many eligible voters, particularly people of color, says the report. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 77% of white eligible voters are registered to vote, compared to only 69% of Black eligible voters, 61% of Latinx eligible voters, 64% of Asian American eligible voters, and 63% of Native American eligible voters. In the last presidential election, more than 63 million eligible voters were not registered to vote, according to the report

While a few federal agencies are on the right track to completing implementation, several others have fallen behind and risk not achieving the Voting Access EO’s potential before the end of 2024. 

The report focuses on 10 federal agencies, which were selected based on their potential for promoting access to registration and voting for large populations, feasibility of voter registration in their agency context, direct interaction with the public, and ability to reach marginalized communities in our political system — especially people of color, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latinos, people with disabilities, Native Americans, people with limited English proficiency, newly naturalized citizens, students, people with low incomes, and people directly impacted by the criminal-legal system.

According to the Leadership Conference, only three agencies — the Department of Interior, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Treasury — are on the right track to complete implementation and fully integrate voter registration services into their everyday interactions with the public. 

However, the report cites seven agencies that have slowed or stalled in their progress to implement the Voting Access executive order. "Accordingly, we urge the Biden-Harris administration to carry out the recommendations outlined in the report to fulfill the mandate of the EO," cites the letter.

The departments have fallen short in meeting their goals are:

• Department of Health and Human Services: Ensure the integration of a voter registration opportunity into the Healthcare.gov application is fully operational by the Fall 2023 open enrollment period; and launch the promised voting information hub for older adults and people with disabilities.

• US Marshals Service, Department of Justice: Ensure all eligible individuals in federal pre-trial custody have access to high quality voter registration services and assistance voting; make public the results of any internal assessments on these efforts; and leverage its contracts to ensure ballot access for all eligible voters, not just those in federal custody.

• Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice: Ensure all eligible individuals in federal prison across the country can access registration and voting services; and ensure that high-quality information about voting rights is consistently provided during incarceration and upon release.

• General Services Administration: Ensure Vote.gov is a user-friendly and accessible resource for all voters, regardless of disability status, language, conviction history, and geography.

• Indian Health Services, Department of Health and Human Services: Provide high-quality voter registration services, including assistance, at Indian Health Services facilities; and work with interested tribes to support voter registration opportunities at health facilities run by tribes.

• Department of Education: Improve voter registration opportunities for students at institutions of higher learning, including adding voter registration opportunities to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid “Student Aid Report.”

• US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security: Ensure all new citizens have access to high-quality voter registration services at or immediately after all naturalization ceremonies

"We urge the Biden-Harris administration to make fulfilling the promise of the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting a top priority in the final two years of this term," concludes the letter. "Now is the time to finish the job by fully implementing this administration’s strong commitment to protecting the right to vote and to ensure all federal agencies are prepared to support their constituents in participating in our democracy."

Among the 100 AANHPI signatories to the letter are:

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO)

Japanese American Citizens League

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)
National Asian Pacific Americans Against Substance Abuse

National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)

National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)

South Asian Public Health Association

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.