AAPI Vote said to be crucial to Nevada caucuses and Democratic Party future
Rep. Mike Honda launched a get-out-the-vote campaign among Nevada's Asian American and Pacific Islander community (AAPI), to galvanize this growing community to participate in the January 19th Nevada Presidential Caucuses.
Honda, vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said voters need to know that parties and candidates care about their opinions and want them to get involved. That is especially true for underrepresented communities, first-time voters and new citizens, who often feel intimidated by the process. Honda (D-CA) hopes to reach 20,000 AAPI Democratic voters through this program. There are approximately 130,000 members of the AAPI community living in Nevada. Former Governor Gary Locke and former Cabinet Secretary Norm Mineta agree with Mike Honda. “Getting out-the-vote, and engaging underrepresented communities is critical this year, and if we are going to get this country back on its feet, it is important that everyone pitch in with the effort" said Locke. Governor Locke and Secretary Mineta have contributed funds through their political action committee, America’s Opportunity Fund, to support this effort.
Most people won't walk into another's home unless they're invited, so it's our responsibility as party leaders to invite folks to be a part of the process. When we personally call voters, we're not just asking for help, we're asking for their participation," said Honda, whose Silicon Valley district is home to the highest concentration of AAPIs in the continental United States. "I'm confident this is just the beginning of a concerted outreach effort to the AAPI community in this election year, and beyond, by all our Democratic presidential candidates."
Over the past six years, the AAPI population in the Las Vegas metro area has doubled from four to eight percent, just as AAPI's nationwide are increasingly identifying themselves as Democrats. This, combined with a high naturalization rate among Asian immigrants, makes the community an untapped potential for the party, not just during Nevada's first-ever Caucuses, but in the upcoming general elections.
Eugene Benavides, a grassroots activist helping Honda implement the get out the vote effort, said the time to earn voter loyalty is now, before the general election.
"You can't just court the few voters you need to carry the state in the last days of November when you realize pundits are calling it a tossup," said Benavides. "That's why we want to get people involved now and give them a voice as platforms and positions are being shaped. It's critical that the AAPI's take part."
The outreach campaign will not only use traditional means such as a Jan. 14 press community rally and press conference event with Honda and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, targeted mail, and multilingual phone banks, but will also offer training seminars to get voters acquainted with the caucus process. Honda envisioned and funded this campaign not only to turn out voters out, but also to give them the tools to participate in the larger Democratic political process and an understanding of the importance of their role. This, he said, will help the party fully harness the AAPI potential.
Honda added that another indicator of this political potential is the AAPI economic position. According to census figures, AAPI's own 5.7 percent of Nevada's registered businesses. A high rate of business ownership generally corresponds to a greater level of community involvement.
"This means that these folks have a stake in Nevada. Business owners create jobs and opportunities, and have an interest in policies that support prosperity," Honda said. "It's easy to see why Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders would be excited about political involvement. Having a say is part of the American dream."
For more information contact Jose D. Parra at press@mikehonda.org and 786-942-9571, or Eugene Benavides at (510) 875-0189 and gbenavides@nvdems.com.
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