AAPI voters have swung in favor of San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who has worked hard to counter perceptions she hasn’t done enough to stop crime, homelessness, and drug abuse in the city, but the race is far from won.
In a recent poll by the San Francisco Chronicle, Breed’s approval ratings among AAPI voters doubled from 19% in February to 43%, possibly due to decreased crime rates. AAPIs make up nearly one third of the city’s population, making them a key demographic in voter turnout.
Economy and crime are also among the top voting issues for AAPI voters, according to a July report by civic engagement nonprofit APIAVote.
Breed took credit for the change in crime statistics, as she told the San Francisco Chronicle that the city under her administration has been putting in work, and voters are “responding to it.”
Homelessness also stands out as a key issue in the city, taking the mayor more than 15 attempts to clear out a group of tents in front of a Department of Motor Vehicles office, according to The New York Times. She and her team visited this area earlier this month to observe the situation firsthand.
In her most recent move, Breed has ordered citations of illegal lodging for those who refuse shelter and has been handing out bus tickets for unhoused people to leave the city. Where these tickets go is undetermined, though the article suggests the bus rides may help take them to homeless shelters.
“Where are the bathrooms at? Showers? Where is there comfort?” Joel Beiswanger, who is unhoused, asked The New York Times. “Every week, someone comes through and takes everything you own, no questions asked. I guess it’s how you get your votes.”
Some argue Breed’s measures to combat homelessness are too right-leaning, especially Proposition F, which requires those receiving government aid to pass drug screenings, according to POLITICO. But Breed says the city must change its approach.
“San Francisco will always lead with compassion, but we cannot allow our compassion to be taken advantage of,” Breed said, according to the New York Times. “We will not be a city with a reputation for being able to solve the housing and behavioral health needs of people across our country.”
The APIAVote report also indicates that AAPI voters care about discrimination and hate crimes — a particularly salient issue to AAPI San Franciscans after a 74-year-old Filipina woman was pushed in front of a BART train by an unhoused man with a lengthy criminal record last month.
But the AAPI vote in this mayoral race may split, as different groups advocate for different candidates. The top three among AAPI voters — Breed, Daniel Lurie, and Mark Farell — have all prioritized public safety and crime, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Aaron Peskin, in fourth place among surveyed AAPI voters, is particularly well liked in Chinatown, where he implemented Cantonese-speaking workers during his time as president of the Board of Supervisors. Peskin recently called Breed’s recent actions related to homelessness “a quick and performative election-year gimmick,” promising instead to add 2,000 beds to shelters and increase the availability of rent-controlled apartments, The New York Times reported.
Some AAPI voters who voted for Breed in previous elections say they will make a different choice this time around, including Tony Lee, a restaurant owner and community activist.
“I can see her leadership is not good for the city … You can see the city getting worse and worse,” he said to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Among the entire city population, Breed seems to take the lead. But with an AAPI voter base as volatile as this one, it’s a long way to November.
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