More Asian Americans are running for seats in state legislatures than ever before, according to a new analysis published Monday by the nonpartisan policy research firm AAPI Data, continuing a trend of steady increases in AAPI political participation.
- Topline: There are 158 Asian Americans running for state legislature seats in 2020, AAPI Data researcher Mai Nguyen Do writes, an increase of 21 since the 2018 midterms. Candidates are testing the political waters or seeking re-election in 30 states, with most of them from Hawaii and California—though some are eyeing statehouses in the South and the Midwest.
- The breakdown: Roughly 60% of the candidates are men and 40% are women. 61% identified as East Asian, 22% as Southeast Asian, and 21% as South Asian. Chinese and Japanese Americans continue to make up a majority of the candidates (and a plurality of the incumbents), and South Asians represent a growing share—up slightly in overall percentage compared to 2018.
- Partisanship: 75% of the candidates (117) are Democrats and 25% (39) are Republicans; about 60% are pursuing new terms. You can view the full list of candidates via the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.
- Why this matters: Asian American representation in state government remains rare even as battles for legislative control have taken on greater prominence this cycle. While much of the political oxygen has been consumed by the fast-approaching contests over the presidency and Congress, 5,800 legislative seats are on the ballot. The results are guaranteed to shape fights over redistricting, healthcare reform, education, and state budgets.
- “The diverse array of Asian American candidates up and down the ballot across the country are helping to demonstrate that Asian American leadership isn’t limited to stereotypes,” Mai Nguyen Do concluded. “From teachers to small business owners to organizers to healthcare professionals … candidates are building out an Asian American bench at not just the state level, but also at lower levels of government.”
