The Asian Vote by Ethnic Group

[Stranger in a strange land]

I'm just shocked to learn that in TX 57% of Asians voted for Obama, but yet right next door in Louisiana most of them (84%) voted for Romney. I'm guessing many of them are in the fishing industry and didn't like Obama's response during the 2010 BP oil spill.

I bet a lot of that has to do with the fact that Asians in Louisiana are mainly Vietnamese who live in rural fishing communities, while Texas's Asian population is much larger and more diverse, with lots of Indians and Taiwanese (as well as some Mainland Chinese) especially in Houston, but also in Dallas and Austin.

[BaldEagle1991]

There's also a a large Filipino-American population in Houston. I know this since I am one of them.

[Indy Texas]

Interestingly enough Bush Sr., Reagan, and even Bob Dole in 1996 won the Asian vote. 

I think a lot of that has to do with the inner-city riots that took place in the 1980s and early 1990s. Particularly after the Rodney King incident, there were a lot of Asian-owned stores and restaurants that got damaged and ransacked by the black rioters. Add to that the fact that Asians generally view black people as not entirely civilized (this is true both among Asian-Americans and among Asians in Asia), and they likely wanted to vote for the party they associated with "law and order" and against the party that blacks tended to support.

[socaldem]

What happened to Japanese-Americans?

No data. There are basically 0 Japanese-Americans outside of Hawaii, and they didn't poll Hawaii.

I doubt what few Tibetans there are in the US are fond of the Republican Party--it was Nixon who acknowledged the PRC, after all. But they're too few to be reasonably polled.

Uh. No.

Japanese-Americans are the sixth largest Asian-American group--1.3 million. They make up over 7% of the Asian-American population, and are nearly all citizens, probably making up as much as 20% or more of Asian-American voters.

They vote in disproportionate numbers compared to other Asian-American groups and tend to be very liberal, moreso than other East Asian sub-groups, partly as a result of the activism that resulted from the internment experience. In California there are three Japanese-American representatives in congress and the Torrance-based assembly district and one of the Sacramento-based districts usually elects Asian-Americans to the assembly and senate on the strength of the local Japanese-American vote.

There are fairly substantial Japanese-American communities throughout the West Coast with a major Japanese-American presence in Los Angeles (and particularly the Southbay), Fresno, San Jose, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle--in addition to Hawaii.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Interestingly enough Bush Sr., Reagan, and even Bob Dole in 1996 won the Asian vote. 

I think a lot of that has to do with the inner-city riots that took place in the 1980s and early 1990s. Particularly after the Rodney King incident, there were a lot of Asian-owned stores and restaurants that got damaged and ransacked by the black rioters. Add to that the fact that Asians generally view black people as not entirely civilized (this is true both among Asian-Americans and among Asians in Asia), and they likely wanted to vote for the party they associated with "law and order" and against the party that blacks tended to support.

I had been told that Dole won the Asian vote and also that it had something to do with Vietnam (and of course the war). When I stumbled onto Steve Gunderson's page, I began to get an idea as to why. Apparently, the Clinton administration had tried to repatriate the Laotian Hmong, who had been our allies during the Vietnam War and folks like Gunderson (praised by conservatives for it) stood against it. So that gives me some idea as to why Asians used to vote Republican.

[socaldem]

Interestingly enough Bush Sr., Reagan, and even Bob Dole in 1996 won the Asian vote.

I think a lot of that has to do with the inner-city riots that took place in the 1980s and early 1990s. Particularly after the Rodney King incident, there were a lot of Asian-owned stores and restaurants that got damaged and ransacked by the black rioters. Add to that the fact that Asians generally view black people as not entirely civilized (this is true both among Asian-Americans and among Asians in Asia), and they likely wanted to vote for the party they associated with "law and order" and against the party that blacks tended to support.

I don't think so.

While some Korean-Americans may have had a reaction to the riot, this was probably not a key issue for most Asian-Americans. Asian-Americans do not make their voting decisions as a reaction to the votes of African-Americans or based on prejudice against African-Americans. That assertion is absurd. Maybe that's how white politics of resentiment works in Mississippi or Texas. But that's not how Asian-Americans--or most white voters for that matter--make voting decisions in California or New Jersey or Hawaii or New York.

Some of the factors that could have lent to support of the GOP include that Asian-Americans tend to be fairly pro-incumbent. Asian-Americans also tend to be fairly pro-business and are disproportionately professionals, thing old-school GWB/Rockefeller Republicans. Clinton ran a populist campaign in 1992. It was in 1996 that there was the big Northern suburban realignment to Democrats, which probably resulted in a huge shift in the way Asian-American professionals and business owners voted. Plus Bush has a pretty successful foreign policy...plus Reagan/Bush were pro-immigrant. And there were fewer young Asian-American voters who tend to be fairly liberal, often moreso that their parents.

Its crazy to think that anyone voted against Clinton because he had support from blacks. That's using 2012 anti-obama race politics to interpret 1992 election results. If Asians voted for Obama so overwhelming when the race issue was front and center, why would anti-African-American sentiment have been a key voting issue in 1992?!?

[Horus]

Interestingly enough Bush Sr., Reagan, and even Bob Dole in 1996 won the Asian vote.

I think a lot of that has to do with the inner-city riots that took place in the 1980s and early 1990s. Particularly after the Rodney King incident, there were a lot of Asian-owned stores and restaurants that got damaged and ransacked by the black rioters. Add to that the fact that Asians generally view black people as not entirely civilized (this is true both among Asian-Americans and among Asians in Asia), and they likely wanted to vote for the party they associated with "law and order" and against the party that blacks tended to support.

I don't think so.

While some Korean-Americans may have had a reaction to the riot, this was probably not a key issue for most Asian-Americans. Asian-Americans do not make their voting decisions as a reaction to the votes of African-Americans or based on prejudice against African-Americans. That assertion is absurd. Maybe that's how white politics of resentiment works in Mississippi or Texas. But that's not how Asian-Americans--or most white voters for that matter--make voting decisions in California or New Jersey or Hawaii or New York.

Some of the factors that could have lent to support of the GOP include that Asian-Americans tend to be fairly pro-incumbent. Asian-Americans also tend to be fairly pro-business and are disproportionately professionals, thing old-school GWB/Rockefeller Republicans. Clinton ran a populist campaign in 1992. It was in 1996 that there was the big Northern suburban realignment to Democrats, which probably resulted in a huge shift in the way Asian-American professionals and business owners voted. Plus Bush has a pretty successful foreign policy...plus Reagan/Bush were pro-immigrant. And there were fewer young Asian-American voters who tend to be fairly liberal, often moreso that their parents.

Its crazy to think that anyone voted against Clinton because he had support from blacks. That's using 2012 anti-obama race politics to interpret 1992 election results. If Asians voted for Obama so overwhelming when the race issue was front and center, why would anti-African-American sentiment have been a key voting issue in 1992?!?

I fully agree with you, but one could argue that Obama did well among Asians due to his Hawaiian and Indonesian upbringing and lifelong connection to that community including his half sister who I believe has the last name of Ng.

[nclib]

I fully agree with you, but one could argue that Obama did well among Asians due to his Hawaiian and Indonesian upbringing and lifelong connection to that community including his half sister who I believe has the last name of Ng.

Outside of Hawaii, I doubt that played that much of a role. Gore and Kerry IIRC did reasonably well with Asians.

I believe the two main reasons are: a) the us vs. them mentality of the GOP (even if the GOP isn't especially anti-Asian), which alienates all groups that aren't like the stereotypical Republican (even explaining why pre-Obama blacks were overwhelmingly Dem despite some social conservatism) and b) anti-intellectualism of the GOP and high educational attainment of Asians.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Interestingly enough Bush Sr., Reagan, and even Bob Dole in 1996 won the Asian vote.

I think a lot of that has to do with the inner-city riots that took place in the 1980s and early 1990s. Particularly after the Rodney King incident, there were a lot of Asian-owned stores and restaurants that got damaged and ransacked by the black rioters. Add to that the fact that Asians generally view black people as not entirely civilized (this is true both among Asian-Americans and among Asians in Asia), and they likely wanted to vote for the party they associated with "law and order" and against the party that blacks tended to support.

I don't think so.

While some Korean-Americans may have had a reaction to the riot, this was probably not a key issue for most Asian-Americans. Asian-Americans do not make their voting decisions as a reaction to the votes of African-Americans or based on prejudice against African-Americans. That assertion is absurd. Maybe that's how white politics of resentiment works in Mississippi or Texas. But that's not how Asian-Americans--or most white voters for that matter--make voting decisions in California or New Jersey or Hawaii or New York.

Some of the factors that could have lent to support of the GOP include that Asian-Americans tend to be fairly pro-incumbent. Asian-Americans also tend to be fairly pro-business and are disproportionately professionals, thing old-school GWB/Rockefeller Republicans. Clinton ran a populist campaign in 1992. It was in 1996 that there was the big Northern suburban realignment to Democrats, which probably resulted in a huge shift in the way Asian-American professionals and business owners voted. Plus Bush has a pretty successful foreign policy...plus Reagan/Bush were pro-immigrant. And there were fewer young Asian-American voters who tend to be fairly liberal, often moreso that their parents.

Its crazy to think that anyone voted against Clinton because he had support from blacks. That's using 2012 anti-obama race politics to interpret 1992 election results. If Asians voted for Obama so overwhelming when the race issue was front and center, why would anti-African-American sentiment have been a key voting issue in 1992?!?

I fully agree with you, but one could argue that Obama did well among Asians due to his Hawaiian and Indonesian upbringing and lifelong connection to that community including his half sister who I believe has the last name of Ng.

Strangely one of his half-brothers (who is not Asian) is living in China.

[Sol]

Interesting.

Republicans actually won the Asian vote in 1992 and 1996. Of course, Asians made up a much smaller % of the electorate then.

Vietnamese voting Republican by a 56% - 44% margin is comforting. My guess is that they are like Cuban-Americans, who are attracted to the anti-communist ideology in the GOP.

Indians should vote GOP. Right now, 65% of Indians in India live in rural areas. They are conservatives. Gandhi, the legend among Indians, opposed cities and modern ideals. Shouldn't they be anti-technology, anti-science, and anti-intellectualism, like Southern whites are?

If Republicans can reach out to them successfully and articulate their beliefs, Indians can and should get in their corner.

Most Indians are White-collar recent immigrants. Very few Indian immigrants are the folks in rural areas. Also, many of them are Muslims.

[Badger]

Indians should vote GOP. Right now, 65% of Indians in India live in rural areas. They are conservatives. Gandhi, the legend among Indians, opposed cities and modern ideals. Shouldn't they be anti-technology, anti-science, and anti-intellectualism, like Southern whites are?

If Republicans can reach out to them successfully and articulate their beliefs, Indians can and should get in their corner.

What this is I don't even.....

[minionofmidas]

Gandhi also opposed making money.

[hopper]

Asian Vote by State: Obama winning % of vote unless noted.

Pennsylvania 89-9%
Michigan 86-11
New York 86-12%
Massachusetts 82-17%
Nevada 81-18%
New Jersey 77-21%
Virginia 72-26%
Maryland 71-26%
California 62-34%
Georgia 61-36%
Texas 57-40%
Louisiana 81-16% Romney

[pbrower2a]

My understanding is that Asians in the Mississippi delta area vote like whites.

I'm guessing a lot of them are not also Asian but also White as well. You'd be surprised to see a lot of mixed Asian/White people in the region.

Chinese immigrants to Mississippi were almost all male. If they married they married out. Their descendants are thus either black or at least half-white. 

[Ebsy]

The situation in Louisiana is interesting. It's really the one state in the deep south where Republicans have expanded their base among disgruntled southern whites to the conservative Vietnamese immigrants.

[Sol]

The situation in Louisiana is interesting. It's really the one state in the deep south where Republicans have expanded their base among disgruntled southern whites to the conservative Vietnamese immigrants.

Well, Vietnamese elsewhere vote R as well.

[H. Ross Peron]

The situation in Louisiana is interesting. It's really the one state in the deep south where Republicans have expanded their base among disgruntled southern whites to the conservative Vietnamese immigrants.

Perhaps Jindal is popular amongst Asian LA voters?

[Ebsy]

The situation in Louisiana is interesting. It's really the one state in the deep south where Republicans have expanded their base among disgruntled southern whites to the conservative Vietnamese immigrants.

Perhaps Jindal is popular amongst Asian LA voters?

Probably not anymore.

[Badger]

The situation in Louisiana is interesting. It's really the one state in the deep south where Republicans have expanded their base among disgruntled southern whites to the conservative Vietnamese immigrants.

Well, Vietnamese elsewhere vote R as well.

NOWHERE near the same extent though. there are a ton of Vietnamese fishermen in LA whom have decidedly strong views about environmental laws and social issues (being more predominent Catholic than Vietnamese elsewhere). The median age of these Viet Americans is oldr than normal considering the reletive lack of youth influx, and thus cushions Rep weakness among younger Asian voters.

[The Ex-Factor]

A disproportionate amount of Vietnamese-Americans are Catholics as they were more likely to flee Vietnam during/after the Vietnam War, so there are quite some social conservatives of the anti-abortion and gays ilk that you don't see as much with other Asian-American groups. Also the older refugee generation tends to be single-issue voter: Who is more Anti-Communist? Much like Cuban-Americans though, this Republican lean does not transfer over to the younger generation at all.

[StatesPoll]

well in 2014 mid term election 48% asian voted for GOP. quite diffrence as 2012(which was 23%)

[hopper]

According to AALDEF Obama won the Asian Vote 76-23 over McCain so not a huge drop-off for Romney(21%) vs McCain's 2008 23% Asian Vote.

So 2008 vs 2012 difference by state(State won by Obama unless noted.)

Pennsylvania 79-20% vs 89-9%
MI: 88-10% vs 86-11%
NY: 78-21% vs 86-12%
MA: 81-17% vs 82-17%
NV: 57-41% vs 81-18%(That's a 47 point swing!)
NJ: 77-21% vs 77-21%
VA: 66-33 vs 72-26%
MD: 71-28%- vs 72-26%
TX: 61-37% McCain vs 57-40% Obama(That's a 41 point  swing!)
LA: 85-12% McCain vs 81-16% Romney

Romney didn't lose anything to McCain in Dem states like MA, NJ, and MD. Romney lost to much of the Asian Vote from where McCain had it in important swing states like PA, NV, and VA. The Asian Vote in MI swung with the national popular vote of swinging R by 3 points.

[hopper]

well in 2014 mid term election 48% asian voted for GOP. quite diffrence as 2012(which was 23%)

No it was 34% according to "Asian American Decisions". Still not bad.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I'm surprised there aren't more Chinese and Korean Americans who are Republican.

[hopper]

I'm surprised there aren't more Chinese and Korean Americans who are Republican.

Koreans-35% voted for McCain but only 20% voted for Romney. I think  the "Self-Deport" comment hurt Romney with the Korean Vote.

Chinese-26% voted for McCain but Romney only got 17%. "Self -Deport" hurt but not as much with the Chinese Vote as the Korean Vote.