AAPI Vote 2018: William Tong vying to be Connecticut's first Asian American Attorney General

WILLIAM TONG

ASAM NEWS

DEMOCRAT William Tong, 45, is looking to make history in Connecticut politics — again.
In 2006, he became the first Chinese American to be elected to the state legislature. After serving as a state senator for 12 years, Tong is looking to become the state’s first Asian American attorney general.

In Connecticut's primary held August 14, Tong, 45, was declared the winner in a three-way race , beating Democratic rivals Chris Mattei, a former federal prosecutor, and state Sen. Paul Doyle, a Wethersfield attorney, according to the Associated Press.

This year’s midterm elections bring hope to Tong’s campaign, with diverse candidates and anti-Trump backlash fueling unlikely victories for minority race candidates, such as Ayanna Pressley in Massachusetts. 

He is running against Republican Sue Hatfield, a longtime prosecutor.

In an interview with Mother Jones, Tong laid out the uphill battle ahead, and shared a brief glimpse into his childhood, growing up in a Chinese restaurant run by his immigrant family.

“No Asian American had ever been elected at the state level in Connecticut’s history. I spent all my life as an outsider to this process just by nature of who I am. Never mind having a seat at the table—we weren’t even in the same room,” he said.

He also confirmed that the model minority myth existed in the state house as well.

“Being an Asian American politician is a lot like being an Asian American—you spend much of your time feeling invisible,” he said. nothing that when it comes to discussing issues of race, the most common adjectives are black and brown — ignoring Asians completely.

Furthermore, Tong has an interesting connection to President Nixon. His parents were nearly deported in the 1970s when their work visas expired. However, Tong’s father wrote a letter to the President, begging him to excuse their family and allow them to resettle in the U.S., instead of moving to Canada or back to China.

The day they were set to leave, an immigration official knocked on his door.

He said, “The president received your letter and you can stay. You have to go to the back of the line and wait your turn.”

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.
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AAPI voters having an impact in early voting

Asian/Americans appear to be showing up for early voting that is allowed in 37 states 

YOU CAN'T say AAPI celebrities haven't done what they could to get AAPI voters to register to vote. They have put out numerous PSAs stating why it is important to have a voice in our democracy.

All that work appears to be having its desired effect. In the early voting conducted in 37 states, polls indicate that Asian Americans have turned out in heavier numbers than they have ever done before; Latinos are making their presence felt in states like New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Florida and Colorado. However, the turnout of African American voters have not matched the numbers in 2012 when President Obama was running for reelection.

Early and absentee voting has exploded in popularity in recent years, as Election Day has shifted from a single day in November to a weeks-long and sometimes months-long period where voters can choose from many options to cast their ballots including by mail, at early voting sites or at Election Day polling places.

Thus far, more than 13.4 million votes have been cast, far higher than the rate in 2012, according to Associated Press data. In all, more than 46 million people —or as much as 40 percent of the electorate — are expected to vote before Election Day, Nov. 8.

Asian/American turnout in early voting has been slightly boosted this year, according to several academic and media analyses.

The collective category of mixed-race, Asian and other-race voters accounted for 209,000 ballots after the first full weekend of in-person early voting ended last Sunday.

With another week to go, that is alris eady three quarters of the entire 2012 early-voting total.

Hillary Clinton is building on the Obama coalition as Latino, Asian/American, and suburban women voters are becoming a bigger part of the Democratic coalition., according to Robbie Mook, Clinton's campaign manager. The fourth leg of the Democratic table is the African/American vote, which overwhelmingly Democratic.

Hillary Clinton's campaign strategy is turning the Democratic Party into the diverse face of America’s future.

In Nevada, a key battleground state, early voting was down but the Democratic lead widened after the start of in-person voting last week. Democrats lead in returned ballots, 46 percent to 35 percent. Ballots from older white voters declined significantly while those from Hispanics and Asian-Americans rose.

In Colorado, where early voting has been by mail, Democrats led 40 percent to 34 percent. In 2012, Democrats trailed Republicans at this point by 10 percentage points. Since then, registered Democrats have surpassed Republicans in the state.

Even in a Republican stronghold like Texas, the heavy early voting by Latinos is expected to give Clinton an edge. The state does not break down voters by political affiliation.

With just a few days before Nov. 8, Asian/American nonpartisan and partisan groups are increasing their efforts to ensure that the AAPI voice is heard in local and national contests.

“Every eligible voter in the United States should be able to cast a ballot and participate in our democracy,” said Mee Moua, executive director and president of Advancing Justice | AAJC. “Ensuring that all voters know their rights at the polls is critical to their participation this November. As Asian Americans continue to grow in population, and turn out to vote, we must do everything we can to support their participation and make visible their political impact.”

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