Harris favored by AAPI voters/ Harris leads Trump in AAPI poll/ AAPI voter preferences 2024 election/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Vice President Kamala Harris holds a significant lead over Donald Trump in favorability among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, according to a new survey by AAPI Data and APIAVote. Around 60% of AAPI voters view Harris positively, while only 30% view Trump favorably. Harris’ cultural identity and gender resonate with many AAPI voters, though her policy positions are a bigger draw for some.
Harris Leads Trump Among AAPI Voters Quick Look:
- Around 6 in 10 AAPI voters hold a favorable view of Kamala Harris.
- Trump has a 30% favorability rate among AAPI voters, with two-thirds viewing him unfavorably.
- Harris’ cultural background and gender resonate more with younger AAPI voters and women.
- Concerns about racism, democracy, and divisiveness shape AAPI voter preferences.
- AAPI voters are more likely to have been contacted by Democrats than Republicans.
Harris Favored by AAPI Voters Over Trump, New Poll Finds
Deep Look:
Vice President Kamala Harris is more popular than former President Donald Trump among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, according to a new survey conducted by AAPI Data and APIAVote. The survey reveals that about 6 in 10 AAPI voters have a favorable view of Harris, compared to just 3 in 10 for Trump. The findings underscore a significant gap in support between the two candidates within this demographic as the 2024 presidential race intensifies.
Harris’ Appeal Among AAPI Voters Harris, whose background as a Black and South Asian American woman is well known, has worked to connect with AAPI voters, particularly in key swing states like Georgia, where this group is growing in electoral importance. According to the poll, about half of AAPI voters feel that Harris better represents their background and culture. In contrast, only 10% of respondents felt the same about Trump.
Interestingly, Harris’ identity as an Asian American resonates particularly strongly with Indian Americans. Among this group, 7 in 10 view Harris as someone who reflects their cultural background, higher than the broader AAPI population.
However, for many voters, Harris’ race or gender is not the primary factor driving their support. For voters like Ping Hackl, a 27-year-old Chinese American independent from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Harris’ leadership is more important. Hackl plans to vote for Harris due to concerns about preserving democracy and the divisiveness she associates with Trump. “I don’t really care [about her race]. She can be anybody,” Hackl said.
Gender Resonates with AAPI Women Harris’ gender, however, plays a more significant role in shaping the preferences of AAPI women. The survey found that about half of AAPI women see her identity as a woman as extremely or very important, and they are more likely to view their own racial and cultural background as central to their identity than AAPI men.
Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, noted the growing organization efforts by young people and women in the AAPI community, particularly in support of Harris. “We’ve seen so much organizing from young people as well as AAPI women,” Chen said, pointing to affinity groups that are working to rally support for Harris among South Asians, Koreans, and Chinese Americans.
Trump Faces Hurdles with AAPI Voters While Harris enjoys substantial support from AAPI voters, Donald Trump continues to struggle with this demographic. The poll shows that two-thirds of AAPI voters view Trump unfavorably, a consistent trend since his presidency. His divisive rhetoric and policies have not helped him with this group, and recent comments by Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, amplifying unfounded rumors about Haitian migrants in Ohio eating pets, have sparked outrage among some voters. About 7 in 10 AAPI voters say they would “never” vote for a candidate who does not align with their views on racism and discrimination, a key issue for this group.
Yet, Trump still retains some support. Jihua Ma, a 45-year-old Chinese American living in Boston, voted for Trump in 2020 and continues to back him, despite acknowledging his “mean” tendencies. For Ma, policy matters most. He supports Trump for his focus on curbing inflation and strengthening border security, areas where he feels Harris has fallen short. “I don’t see her policy has a solid platform,” Ma said.
Economic Issues a Potential Weakness for Harris While Harris currently leads Trump among AAPI voters, experts warn that economic issues could provide an opening for Trump to gain ground. According to Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, the economy and crime are areas where the Republican Party could potentially chip away at Harris’ support. “Harris has tried to blunt some of those critiques by offering some proposals,” Ramakrishnan said, but the economy remains a critical issue for many voters.
Partisan Outreach and Organizing Efforts The survey also highlights a notable difference in voter outreach efforts. AAPI voters are more likely to have been contacted by the Democratic Party, with 4 in 10 saying they had been reached out to by Democrats in the past year. In comparison, only 3 in 10 said they had been contacted by Republicans, a gap that could influence voter turnout and preferences.
As the 2024 election approaches, both Harris and Trump will continue vying for the support of the AAPI electorate, a rapidly growing and increasingly influential voting bloc in key battleground states.
