Views from the Edge contributed to this story
Four Democratic presidential hopefuls — Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Steyer, Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang — have accepted invitations to participate in a candidates forum tomorrow hosted by Asian American groups.
Perhaps more news worthy are the candidates not scheduled to attend, including Kamala Harris, who has been criticized for downplaying her Indian American heritage on the campaign trail. Of the candidates who will attend, only Andrew Yang has qualified for the third Democratic Presidential debate this coming Thursday.
Still, the organizers are putting a positive spin on the expected turnout of candidates.
“With 2 out of 3 AAPI Democratic presidential candidates confirmed to attend, we look forward to announcing the second wave of candidates as the momentum builds heading into our event in September,” said Shekar Narasimhan, chair and founder of AAPI Victory Fund.
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Narasimhan said that in early August. Since then only Tom Steyers has been the only additional candidate to confirm.
The forum on Sunday is being hosted by the Asian American and Pacific Islander Victory Fund and Asian Americans Rising PAC, starts at 9 a.m. at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, CA.
The AAPI Democratic Presidential Forum is the showcase event of the AAPI Community Action Summit that begins today (Sept. 7).
AAAPI leaders and advocates from across the country will gather to showcase the emerging progressive movement, which is based on the belief that the various AAPI communities are stronger when the work together with common purpose.
California has the largest and most diverse population in the nation with a strong track record of early voting. Nearly 60% of California Democratic voters cast a ballot by mail in the 2016 Presidential primary.
Asian Americans will make up 13% of California’s likely voters even though AAPI eligible voters make up 15% of adult voters, according to PPIC.
For the 2020 election, California will be voting even earlier than in previous years, as its primaries have been shifted to “Super Tuesday” in March, in order to have a greater influence on the Presidential nomination process.
With more AAPI voters than ever, delegate-rich California will receive ballots on the same day that Iowans head to their first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. California outpaced Iowa in delegates needed for the Democratic Party nomination in 2016, 475 to 23.
Forum tickets can be obtained here.
Today (Sept. 7), a majority of the 19 remaining candidates, including Sen. Kamala Harris (the third AAPI candidate) will be making their pitch to the New Hampshire Democratic Party Convention to garner the endorsement of the party’s local power brokers and activists, the ground troops necessary to win the nation’s first primary in the nation on Feb. 11
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