By Randall Yip, Executive Editor
The headline in the New York Times last year read “Asian Americans shifting right.”
More recently CNN declared “Shift in San Francisco politics serves as warning from Asian American voters to Democrats in 2024” while a similar headline in AsAmNews stated “Election of Vince Fong signals rightward shift for Asian Americans.“
The organizers behind a poll just released of 2,479 Asian American voters paint a different picture. They say there’s no data indicating this conservative shift among Asian Americans, particularly Chinese Americans.
“We’re not seeing a wholesale movement toward Trump.” “We’re not seeing that Chinese are more Republican, “said Janelle Wang of AAPI Data to a question from AsAmNews.
In fact, 54% of Chinese American voters surveyed say they intend to vote for Joe Biden. That’s two-times the support Donald Trump received at 27% and the highest support when compared to Indian Americans, Korean Americans, Filipino Americans, Vietnamese Americans and Japanese Americans. The former President has narrowed the gap by just 2% from what happened in 2020 among Chinese American voters.
“That’s not the huge swing that sometimes media says it is, but we do think that’s an interesting pattern.”
Christine Chen of APIA Vote agrees with that conclusion. She says Chinese are leading the charge in the South against Alien Land Laws largely pushed by Republicans that are prohibiting Chinese from purchasing land or even owning homes.
“They are very much aware that they need to organize around the election and they’re keeping that in mind,” Chen said.
The poll however did find that Asian American support for Biden has slipped 8% compared to 2020. Yet Trump’s support has increased just 1% among Asian American voters.
On the issue of Israel and Gaza, there’s no sign that widespread support among Asian Americans for Palestine will hurt the current president. A poll in February conducted by AAPI Data and the AP/NORC found 50% of Asian Americans believe the U.S. should do more to support Palestine.
“We don’t see any indication that this is a top issue,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan of APIA Data. While he suspects it could impact the enthusiasm for young voters to turn out for the election and also influence voters in Michigan. That’s where there is not only a large Asian American population but also Arab American.
“But then you also have other issues like abortion, environment and gun control, Ramakrishnan continued, “including among younger voters that might tip the balance the other way. This is what will make it both uncertain and exciting, and maybe nail biting.”
On those issues, Asian Americans overwhelmingly believe the Democrats have a better handle on those issues, not the Republicans.
Republicans have the advantage among Asian Americans on immigration, jobs and national security.
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