Vice President Kamala Harris holds a commanding 38-point lead over former President Donald Trump among Asian American voters, according to a new survey by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and AAPI Data.
The poll, conducted by NORC (National Opinion Research Center) at the University of Chicago, shows a surge in support for the Democratic ticket, boosting Harris’ position by 23 points since President Biden dropped out of the race.
The survey, the first since Harris became the Democratic nominee, underscores the increasing significance of Asian American voters, the fastest-growing electorate group in the country. 66 percent of Asian American voters indicated they plan to support Harris, compared to 28 percent backing Trump. The remaining six percent are undecided or support other candidates.
“These results reinforce what we’ve been hearing and seeing from the Asian American community since July: they are re-energized and poised to once again play a decisive role in the election,” said Christine Chen, co-founder and executive director of APIAVote.
Harris’ favorability among Asian American voters has also surged, with 62 percent holding a positive opinion of the vice president, an 18-point increase since April-May 2024. Trump, on the other hand, holds a 28 percent favorability rating, with 70 percent of respondents viewing him unfavorably.
Additionally, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz is far more popular than his Republican counterpart JD Vance. Walz enjoys a 56 percent favorability rating among Asian American voters, while only 21 percent have a positive opinion of Vance.
Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data, noted, “Asian American and Pacific Islander voters are poised to play a pivotal role in this election. Instead of speculating about how AAPI voters are reacting to the Harris, Walz, and Vance candidacies, we have nationally representative survey data to inform news coverage and public understanding.”
The survey also highlights a rise in voter certainty, with 77 percent of Asian American voters saying they are "absolutely certain" they will vote in the upcoming election, up from 68 percent earlier this year. Voter outreach efforts have also intensified, with 62 percent of Asian American voters reporting contact from the Democratic Party, while 46 percent say the same about the GOP.
Harris’ identity as a woman resonates more strongly with Asian American voters than her identity as Asian Indian or South Asian, with 38 percent emphasizing the importance of her gender and 27 percent highlighting her ethnic background.
The 2024 AAPI Voter Survey, conducted between September 3-9, 2024, provides crucial insights into the voting trends of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
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