AAPIs Deliver MARGIN OF VICTORY For Senator Warnock In Georgia

Source: Asian American Advocacy Fund Instagram

National exit polls and reports from several AAPI organizations are touting the emergent impact of progressive AAPI voters as the "margin of victory" for Democrats in Georgia's US Senate seat runoff between Democrat US Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican candiate Herschel Walker.

A poll conducted by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund found that 78% of AAPI voters supported Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock compared to 22% that favored Republican opponent Herschel Walker. Polling was conducted at five key sites for Asian American voters in DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Voters were surveyed in English, as well as 4 Asian languages: Bengali, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

“The Senate runoff in Georgia was a critical election, not just for the state but also for the entire country. Georgians have given Senate Democrats a 51 to 49 majority that will affect our national policy for the coming years. For Asian American voters in Georgia, health care and specifically abortion access proved to be a critical issue strongly influencing their vote,” said Margaret Fung, Executive Director of AALDEF.

Warnock beat Walker 51.4% to 48.6% according to the Georgia Secretary of State website.

The Asian American Advocacy Fund touted an unprecedented AAPI voter contact program that included:

• 152,271 doors knocked

• Over 1.3 million phone calls made to voters

• 167,236 text messages sent to voters

• Over 2 million mailers to AAPI voter households

• Over 1900 attendees at AAAF events

• 2,202,740 pieces of mail sent

• Digital ad buys across multiple platforms, including Google, Youtube, FB/IG, WeChat, and other ethnic websites yielding over 34 million digital impressions

• Ethnic media ad buys across 34 ethnic media outlets, yielding over 2.5 million impressions

• Hosted 69 visibility events and 32 hotspot events to directly engage potential voters and provide education on voting

Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood, Executive Director of Asian American Advocacy Fund (AAAF) said, “We will continue to make our voices heard at all levels of government and push for elected leaders that will champion policies and protections that will change the lives of Asian Americans in Georgia. We are incredibly proud of our team and volunteers who got out the vote for our endorsed candidates.”

ASPIRE PAC, the political arm of Congressional AAPI Democrats released a press release stating that it's investments in the Georgia AAPI community included: in-language radio ads in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean playing throughout Georgia; a paid canvassing operation targeting AAPI voters and Asian businesses that they patron in Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties; in-language literature in 5 languages dropped at over 8,000 doors; and ethnic media outreach, including television, radio, and print. In addition, ASPIRE members traveled to Georgia for GOTV weekend, including ASPIRE PAC Chair Grace Meng and Reps. Judy Chu, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Marilyn Strickland, and Mark Takano. The members attended multiple AAPI canvassing events, AAPI small business roundtables, an AAPI rally, and AAPI houses of worship events.

ASPIRE PAC Chair US Rep. Grace Meng issued this statement:

"Senator Raphael Warnock has demonstrated time and time again that he has the character, competence, and compassion to serve the people of Georgia, including Georgia’s growing AAPI community. I’m immensely proud of and grateful for Senator Warnock’s efforts to engage Asian Americans in Georgia and how he made language access and AAPI outreach a priority during his campaign. Our AAPI communities in Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties were key to his re-election, and that's why ASPIRE also prioritized investments in translated materials and targeted canvassing to mobilize the Asian American vote. I and ASPIRE have a special relationship with Georgia, and I’m thankful I was able to campaign alongside Senator Warnock this past weekend and see his dedication and commitment to democracy firsthand. Senator Warnock has shown that he will always do the right thing, and work to improve the lives of Georgians, including AAPI Georgians, and I congratulate him on his re-election to the Senate.”

Navigator A.M. published results from post election polling showing: "Asian American and Pacific Islander voters tended to vote early during the 2022 midterm elections and remained a strong Democratic constituency. 67 percent of AAPI voters voted by mail or absentee ballot, which is significantly higher than all other racial and ethnic groups, and far higher than the overall electorate (36 percent). AAPI voters leaned Democratic in their partisan identification (57 percent) while backing Democrats at even higher rates: AAPI voters overwhelmingly supported Democratic Senate candidates (net +37; 67 percent Democratic candidates – 30 percent Republican candidates) and gubernatorial candidates (net +35; 67 percent Democratic candidates – 32 percent Republican candidates), while there was a smaller margin for House candidates (net +28; 62 percent Democratic candidates – 34 percent Republican candidates)."