AAPI Voter Polling Memo
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Garin-Hart-Yang Research, AAPI Victory Alliance, AAPI Victory Fund, AAPI Power Fund, Asian American Power Network, NARAL Pro-Choice America, EMILY’s List, National Education Association, Priorities USA, and SEIU.
DATE: October 17, 2022
RE: [NEW POLL] Democrats Must Invest More to Persuade AAPI Voters
AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) voters are a critical component of the electorate, particularly in crucial battleground states and districts that will determine control of Congress. A coalition of progressive organizations combined resources to center AAPI communities, their interests and policy preferences, and to gain a better understanding of the political opinions of a group that is often stereotyped and ignored by political outreach efforts. Our findings indicate that kitchen-table issues like inflation and the economy resonate highly with AAPI voters. This trend is consistent with polling of every other group that Priorities has surveyed, demonstrating that a majority of voters are most motivated by issues that affect the cost of living of their families and communities.
Despite Democrats’ relative strength among AAPI voters, this poll indicated a slight drop off in support for Democratic candidates and a slight uptick in support for Republican candidates among this community. On the generic ballot, this poll shows that support for Democrats dropped from 56% in 2020 to 51% and support for Republicans climbed by two points from 34% in 2020 to 36%. It is imperative that Democrats invest in meaningful persuasion and GOTV efforts to earn the trust and support of AAPI voters.