Did Asian Americans Swing California for Clinton?
New America Media, News Report, Kenneth Kim, Posted: Feb 07, 2008
Editor’s Note: Asian Americans flexed their muscle on Super Tuesday, and emerged as a swing voter bloc in California, where Asian American voters make up 8 percent of the Democratic electorate, reports NAM staff writer Kenneth Kim.
Asian Americans are about 8 percent of the Democratic voters but might have emerged as the new swing vote that helped Hillary Clinton win California. According to a CNN exit poll, about 75 percent of Asian voters cast their ballots for Clinton compared to 23 percent for Obama. In the days leading up to Super Tuesday, Obama had narrowed Clinton’s lead to such an extent that the Asian vote suddenly became pivotal though there was very little advertising in Asian media. With Asians throwing their support behind her, Clinton carried 54 percent of the Democratic electorate in the Golden State, leading Obama by 14 percent in the state and significantly increasing her delegate count.
“Overwhelming Asian support is not surprising,” says David Lee, the executive director of Chinese American Voters' Education Committee (CAVEC), a non-partisan group in San Francisco. “She invested in building a good relationship with the Asian American community. In contrast, Obama refused to answer questions regarding the advancement of Asian Americans.”
The 80-20 Initiative, a political action committee dedicated to winning equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Americans through a swing bloc vote, asked all presidential candidates to answer the following questions last year: If elected, are you going to increase the number of Asian Americans in the federal judiciary? Are you going to enforce executive order 11246 to ensure equal opportunity for Asian Americans in work places?
Clinton and John Edwards committed to promote Asian American interests by answering yes to all of the questions, but none of the Republican candidates replied. Surprisingly, Obama declined as well. According to the 80-20 Initiative’s website, Obama replied Yes to the questions only after the group modified the wording of two questions about appointing Asian Americans as federal judges. By then the group had already endorsed Clinton for the Super Tuesday primaries.
Obama did galvanize a younger generation of voters. Indian-American actor Kal Penn of "Harold and Kumar" fame campaigned for him and the group South Asians for Obama campaigned for the Illinois senator at Bhangra parties and Bollywood dances. Little India Magazine broke with tradition and endorsed Obama before the primary, saying he was “the son of an immigrant, offers an exciting opportunity to take Americans, men and women, of all races and affiliations, to an exciting new place and time.”
But others in the Asian American community credit Clinton for effectively utilizing her institutional strength in her campaign.
Vivian Truong Gia, publisher of Viet Tribune, says she got to interview Hillary Clinton while Obama did little outreach to Asian Americans. Though the Vietnamese community traditionally votes Republican, many broke ranks to vote for Clinton, says Truong, because “we want America to be strong again and are disappointed with the last eight years. China has become dominant and the United States so weak overseas.” She thinks that if Obama actually secures the nomination many of those who voted for Clinton would end up voting for John McCain.
“Clinton began interacting with and reaching out to Asian community through her network in the community earlier than other presidential candidates,” says Dae Jung Yoon, executive director of Korean Resource Center, a non-profit organization actively engaged in Korean American’s political empowerment. “The head start was reinforced by her name recognition in the Asian American community and put her at an advantage.”
Chinese-language newspaper Sing Tao Daily also noted that many of this year's Asian and Latino voters became naturalized U.S. citizens during the Clinton administrations between 1992 and 2000, and that Hillary Clinton helping her husband campaign for presidency years ago in the Asian community added to her positive recognition. Sing Tao also said Asian women were particularly anxious to vote for a woman as president.
The enthusiasm of these new voters was obvious, says Yoon at the Korean Resource Center. According to Yoon, between 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., nearly 500 calls were made to the Korean hotline, a record-breaking number in its 13-year history, and more than 100 people with various questions visited the center. Most of the callers and visitors asked about the location of their polling place and ways to obtain provisional ballots.
“Our handful of staff was completely exhausted by the afternoon. I’ve never seen this level of interest in a primary election,” says Yoon.
Asians, currently 5 percent of the U.S. population, are often ignored as a small community that is not very politically engaged. But it is one of the fastest growing population groups in the country. By 2050, Asian Americans are expected to grow by 213 percent to 33.4 million from 14.4 million, according to the U.S. Census. The population is also becoming increasingly politically active. Weekly newspaper India West ran dueling op-eds in support of Clinton and Obama from Indian Americans before the primary. Vida Benavides, chair of APIAVote, a non-partisan organization promoting Asian civic engagement, said in a press release that Asian American voices “will definitely be heard in electing the next president of the United States.”
Despite Clinton’s California triumph, under rules that award 370 nominating delegates on a proportional basis, both candidates are still in a virtual delegate tie as the primaries move on to other states.
“It’s too premature to conclude that Asians made a difference because both parties still haven’t nominated their presidential candidates,” cautions CAVEC’s Lee. “However, this primary proved the possibility that when Asian Americans participate in the political process, they can make a difference.”
Andrew Lam, Sandip Roy and Jun Wang contributed to this report.
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User Comments
ch on Feb 29, 2008 at 10:05:25 said:
Please find an effective way to alert asian americans dat voting for Obama would be a very bad thing for all asian americans because black people often dislike asians and so when there are more black people in authorities then asians will have a harder time facing them everywhere we go. Young asians often don't know about that fact because either they don't go out to work yet or haven't been in places where black people are in authorities for instance; they don't have much experience and often naively believe that a black president will help asians as much as black people while in fact asians face more discriminations from black people than from white.
ch on Feb 29, 2008 at 10:04:33 said:
Please find an effective way to alert asian americans dat voting for Obama would be a very bad thing for all asian americans because black people often dislike asians and so when there are more black people in authorities then asians will have a harder time facing them everywhere we go. Young asians often don't know about that fact because either they don't go out to work yet or haven't been in places where black people are in authorities for instance; they don't have much experience and often naively believe that a black president will help asians as much as black people while in fact asians face more discriminations from black people than from white.
Stak on Feb 11, 2008 at 09:41:03 said:
In my opinion, it's not just voting where these "ethnic communities" seek the "white stamp of approval". I think it's in every aspect of life for people of color living in America. Think of it as a deep hidden assimilation mechanism. "If you wanna gain acceptance, do as we do."
See below.
Vietnam Vet on Feb 08, 2008 at 19:10:11 said:
Since when does the ethnic communities need the whites stamp of approval to determine who to vote for.
Vietnam Vet on Feb 08, 2008 at 19:10:11 said:
Since when does the ethnic communities need the whites stamp of approval to determine who to vote for.
See below.
Ky-Phong Tran on Feb 07, 2008 at 23:23:32 said:
I think this article ignores the million-pound elephant in the room: Serious strains of racism in immigrant communities. Though I'm sure most people made informed votes, how does that explain the discrepancy with white democratic voters, who split with Clinton and Obama 45% to 42% ?
Tiger on Feb 08, 2008 at 16:04:44 said:
When black vote 80%+ for a black candidate over a White one I must say that is racist also. Obamas entire campaign is fueled by biased media coverage that views him as the messiah and the black vote. It seems quite unfair.
By the way, all Asian communities voted for Hillary well over 65%, that includes South Asians. I think Chinese vote for her was like 80%, which was the highest.
new-yorker- on Feb 08, 2008 at 15:20:27 said:
the only two asian communities that supported and still support obama are the japanese and obviously the indonesians, it is surprising considering the fact that obama's blood sister is asian, he step-father is asian, he once lived in asia, his brother-in-law is asian, he grew up among asians in hawaii, some of the foundation members of his campaign team are asians. he was raised among more asians that blacks (first lived in a black neighborhood after college), but the only minorities supporting him are the native americans and of course the african americans.
and why shouldn't african americans vote for someone the think they can be proud and that can become an example to their younger generations, asians vote overwhelmingly for asians in hawaii and hispanics for overwhelmingly for hispanics in california.
Close Up on Feb 08, 2008 at 09:53:28 said:
Why don't White Males vote for Hillary Clinton? Because they don't like white women...
Ka Wah Chan on Feb 08, 2008 at 09:50:38 said:
We trust JOHN McCAIN can be a very good and well balanced 2008 American "Everybody's" president to lead the United States. Asian-Americans do NOT owe a favor to either Clinton or Obama or any black leaderships on foreign policy. These 8 years Asians are much self-sufficiency and survive.
TexMex on Feb 08, 2008 at 09:07:20 said:
What John (Feb 07, 2008 at 23:59:10) said is very true. Ninety (90) percent of the black vote went to Barck. Do you not think there is a large degree of racism with this vote. "Come on". The African American community nation wide is almost entirely rejecting a white women. You still do not think there is something wrong with that picture. Yes I will not deny that there is prejudice in the immigrant communities but by an large I honestly believe that the ethnic communities cast their vote based on who they felt was most qualified. Do not forget that Hillary reached out and embraced the ethnic communities here in California. Barack basically ignored the ethnic communities. He is more comfortable with the white upper middle class wine crowd and that is fine. I will spin this another way, the ethnic communities supported a white women. Barack is not qualified to be the President. I am sorry but I do not feel guilty over my vote.
Tiger on Feb 08, 2008 at 06:55:01 said:
John McCain has changed a lot since those days. He's a good guy and a hero. I would vote for Hillary over him but I'd rather have him than Obama.
john polifronio on Feb 07, 2008 at 23:59:10 said:
Should we be looking at the breakdown of Obama's vote in California, to find out which groups were prominent for him? Wouldn't we find out that Obama has an unusually large number of African Americans supporting his campaign? We could have asked, "Did African Americans Swing Georgia, or Alabama or Illinois for Obama?" Why wouldn't you feel comfortable doing this with Obama? You wouldn't feel comfortable, because it would feel a little racist, right? Well, doing this kind of thing with Hillary suggests that there might be a little ethnic prejudice operating here; but you did it anyway, because you probably don't like Hillary, so you look for ways of minimizing her victories, even when doint it, puts you on shaky ethnic grounds
Ky-Phong Tran on Feb 07, 2008 at 23:23:32 said:
I think this article ignores the million-pound elephant in the room: Serious strains of racism in immigrant communities. Though I'm sure most people made informed votes, how does that explain the discrepancy with white democratic voters, who split with Clinton and Obama 45% to 42% ?
TexMex on Feb 07, 2008 at 21:40:16 said:
I was very pleased to see the attention that "API" is receiving. Combining the ethnic (Asian 15% & Latino 30%) vote we made up 45% of the voters. Myself like so many other Latinos & Asians have been here for many generations. Despite this I still retain a strong connection with recent immigrants documented or other wise. Our communites drive this state (California). I enjoyed campaigning for Senator Clinton with members of Asian community.
I am certain that the powers that be have taken notice at just how much power the Asian community has. Your vote does count.
josh on Feb 07, 2008 at 19:40:57 said:
another thing: I think it should also be broken down by age. I suspect that younger folks had a higher percentage going towards Obama.
josh on Feb 07, 2008 at 19:33:21 said:
An interesting story - one that has been talked about a fair amount lately - but I wish we had some statistics broken down for particular groups. I wonder, for example, if the South Asian community supported Obama more than other communities - such as Vietnamese or Korean.
California Voter on Feb 07, 2008 at 13:50:50 said:
I hope that we don't vote for McCain over Obama if he becomes the nominee.
-->Remember that John McCain says he hates those Gooks when he referred to his captors during the war. Also he will appoint some awful judges to the Supreme Court.