Wins for Asian-American candidates a big step in driving change in US politics

Asian-Americans running for office have made headlines and history in recent years, something that must continue to achieve meaningful change in the US
To create a pipeline of future policymakers, we need mentorship programmes to excite and attract young people to consider opportunities in politics

Amy Wu

Published: 1:00am, 14 Dec 2022

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First, the good news and some positive signs. In the US midterm elections in November – the halfway mark to the presidential election in 2024 – a huge number of Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) came out to vote.

Asian-Americans also made headlines and history in the midterms. Ted Lieu, a Democrat representing California, became the first Asian-American to be elected vice-chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Chinese-American Victoria Gu and Japanese-American Linda Ujifusa of Rhode Island were the first Asians elected to their state legislature.

In recent years, we have hit some key political milestones. US Vice-President Kamala Harris is the only woman and South Asian woman who has held federal elected executive office. In Boston, Michelle Wu made history as the first person of colour and first woman to be elected the city’s mayor.

These are all significant steps. We need more Asian-American elected leaders and policymakers who have the power to create and change policy, which is the only road to achieving actual change here in the United States.

The timing of the latest progress is critical. On the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic and a cycle of rising cases during winter months and an impending global recession, Asians are the most obvious scapegoats for hate and blame. Consider former US president Donald Trump’s alluding to Covid-19 as the “China virus”.

The political landscape in the country shifted in the latest election with Republicans winning a majority in the House of Representatives. Most Asian-Americans – 64 per cent, including me – voted Democratic in the midterms, with 34 per cent voting Republican.

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To combat the growing number of hate crimes and racism against Asians in the US and the realities of a changing political climate, we need more Asian-American elected officials at local, state and federal levels. Think city council, county board, mayor, Congress, Senate, vice-president and president. In my lifetime, I hope to see a Chinese-American on the vice-presidential or presidential ticket, and hopefully a woman at that. Why not? Dream big.

The reality of whether this will actually happen is questionable at the moment. To be sure, Asian-Americans continue to bear the burden of the “model minority” stigma, some of it accurate but not definite. On these lines Jon Osaki’s recent documentary Not Your Model Minority does a good job connecting the stigma with the current climate.

We are the highest earners and most well-educated compared to other racial and ethnic groups. We are known to excel in science, technology, engineering and maths. And it is true that most of my Asian-American friends while growing up had parents who decided their futures as doctors, engineers, technologists and lawyers.

A supporter holds a sign during a “Get Out The Vote” event for Senator Raphael Warnock, a black Democrat from Georgia, in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 3. The AAPI Victory Fund and Warnock for Georgia hosted the event to engage AAPI voters. Photo: Bloomberg

In university, I can’t recall a single one of my AAPI compatriots who majored in political science or became involved in student government. According to my much younger friends who are in university, this has not changed much. So why should Asian-Americans consider running for office, even at a grass roots local level? Because real change starts with making policy and having a vote.

To help create a pipeline of the next generation of policymakers, the private and public sector need to come together. It takes a village. We need academic institutions, existing policymakers and civic groups to come together and create programmes and academies that include leadership, public speaking and campaigning as part of the training.

We need mentorship programmes to excite and attract the next generation of young people to consider opportunities in policymaking. And even if they choose not to campaign, run and serve, they will have acquired important skills that will serve them well professionally.

There is already a litany of programmes, many of them run by civic groups, that train underserved groups including women to run for office. She Runs, Emily’s List and Emerge America are prominent ones. That said, secondary schools and universities should consider opportunities to launch after-school programmes or workshops that introduce students of colour to running for office.

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Asian-Americans have much to bring to the table, not only when it comes to serving as elected leaders but with their vote. We are the fastest-growing racial group of eligible voters in the US, according to the Pew Research Centre, and there are an estimated 13.3 million AAPI voters across the country. We are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the US and make up more than 10 per cent of the population in five states, and we are on mark to be the largest immigrant group by 2055.

While strides have been made in terms of elected representation at the state and federal levels, there is a long way to go. A scant 1 per cent of statewide elected officials identify as AAPI, and only 3 per cent of all members of Congress identify as AAPI. Asian-Americans make up about 1 per cent of elected officials in the US even though we make up 6.1 per cent of the country.

It will take a community to spark change and I am optimistic that in my lifetime this will happen. People such as Harris, Wu and Lieu offer inspiration. At a grass roots level, I will certainly consider the opportunity to run for city councilwoman someday. Running, voting and having a place at the table are essential for permanent and prominent change.

Amy Wu is a Chinese-American journalist based in New York and California