Despite the increased violence they have been facing in the last few years, Asian Americans are making strides nationwide. In 2020 a record number of Asian Americans ran for office with dozens of “firsts” making history in 2021.
Amongst them was Aftab Pureval of South Asian Indian and Tibetan descent, who made history as the first Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) to be elected as Cincinnati’s mayor and the first AAPI mayor in the midwest.
When first running for office many people told Aftab to change his name to something like “Adam" or “Al,” but he didn’t. According to NBC News, people, including those same individuals who once told him to change his name, are coming to him for advice on how to win AAPI voters.
“It’s all very new,” Pureval told NBC News. “We are mighty and are now big enough to swing elections.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic group in America, making up 7.2% of the U.S. population. However, despite how fast the population is growing, voter turnout has remained significantly low. Census data indicates that AAPI turnout jumped by 10% in 2020 compared to 6% for White and Hispanic voters and 3% for Black voters. AAPI voters turned out in record numbers during the 2020 election. But while the jump was high and AAPI voters outpaced all other ethnic groups in every single battleground state, overall participation remains low.
As a result, Pureval and other Asian American Democrats are launching Justice Unites Us, a new PAC billed as an unprecedented multimillion-dollar effort to engage the AAPI community.
“There weren’t a lot of people who look like us running campaigns or running for office, and that impacted campaign tactics and strategy,” said Shripal Shah, a veteran Democratic operative who is a senior adviser to Justice Unites Us. "This would’ve been unimaginable just a few cycles ago, but by bringing together this collection of experienced AAPI operatives and leaders, we’re further proving just how much representation matters.”
In a conversation with NBC News, Pureval noted that the PAC went public this month during Asian American Heritage Month. The PAC has already spent $850,000 this year. While he did not disclose how much more the PAC plans to spend in presidential battlegrounds that have key 2022 Senate races, including Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Nevada, they plan to spend a lot more.
“We’ve already proven that our community can have an outsized impact,” said Lindy Li, a Justice Unites Us co-chair and Democratic National Committee member. “Democrats must make these types of targeted investments that could be the game-changer in races that will ultimately be won in the margins.”
Alongside engaging in traditional voter mobilization efforts like door-to-door canvassing, the PAC will focus on organizing small businesses such as restaurants and grocery stores.
“They’re really the nucleus of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) communities across the community. They support temples of worship. They support community and cultural events. And they haven’t really been reached by either party,” Pureval said.
The effort is one of the first to target the AAPI community. Most groups have always focused on increasing Hispanic and Black voters.
“AAPI political participation has traditionally lagged behind other racial and ethnic groups because major political parties have failed to invest in mobilizing this critical swath of voters,” said Minh Nguyen, a Democratic strategist. According to NBC News, Nguyen will serve as executive director of the new super PAC. “But in 2020 that changed for the better.”
But Democrats are not the only ones working on gathering AAPI votes. In the 2020 elections, two Korean-born Republicans, Young Kim and Michelle Steel, became the first Asian American Republicans in Congress in years when they flipped congressional seats held by Democrats in California.
“Over the last year of Democratic leadership, rising prices, tax increases, deteriorating public safety and reduced educational opportunities have put that dream at risk,” Steel and Kim wrote in an op-ed for The Hill.
While AAPI representation in politics still remains low, it is increasing nationwide.
The PAC hopes that by partnering with AAPI communities it can not only engage AAPI voters and community leaders to drive voter turnout, but increase support for endorsed candidates. According to its website, it also believes building political power is essential to ensure the voices of AAPI community members are heard in the political process.
Additionally, NBC News previously reported that increased voter turnout in the 2020 election has been tied to the connection between policy and community safety. Many Asian Americans not only became more involved but ran for office in 2020 to enforce the policies they feel they need.
The introduction of the super PAC follows multiple attacks targeting AAPI individuals across the nation. Studies have not only found that violence has increased by 339% in 2021 compared to the previous year, but that Asian Americans are changing their daily routines out of fear of violence.
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