Welcome to AAPI NATION, The Yappie’s new briefing focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the 2020 election cycle. Support our work by making a donation and let us know what you think by replying to this email. Send tips, ideas, events, and opportunities to [email protected].
State Of The Race
COUNTDOWN—10 days to the Iowa Caucuses, 284 days to Election Day
- 2020 candidates who have AAPI engagement staff: Biden, Bloomberg, Sanders, Trump, and Warren; Buttigieg is in the process of hiring an Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) outreach director, the campaign tells The Yappie.
- We did not receive responses from the Bennet, Delaney, Gabbard, Klobuchar, Patrick, Steyer, Walsh, Weld, and Yang press teams as of 12 p.m. ET.
- If you are working for a 2020 presidential candidate, we want to highlight the ways your campaign is engaging with AAPI voters. Email [email protected].
The Big Story
EXCLUSIVE—BLOOMBERG TAPS APIAVOTE FIELD DIRECTOR TO LEAD AAPI OUTREACH: Michael Bloomberg has tapped former APIAVote National Field Director Eric Salcedo to lead his presidential campaign’s efforts to win over Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, The Yappie has learned. Here are the details…
- What happened: Salcedo, who left his role at the D.C.-based civic engagement nonprofit earlier this month, has already begun working as national AAPI outreach director out of the campaign’s Manhattan headquarters. Bloomberg’s decision to recruit Salcedo, who is well-regarded in the Asian American advocacy world, signals that the former New York City mayor is serious about making up for lost time in engaging with AAPI stakeholders.
- Bloomberg has also picked Democratic presidential rival Andrew Yang’s Deputy Finance Director Neha Chatterjee to serve as his deputy national AAPI director. Both Salcedo and Chatterjee are charged with designing “a national multi-level outreach and engagement strategy that recognizes the power of a local approach,” according to a campaign job description viewed by The Yappie.
- The big picture: Former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont), and other top-tier candidates have been recruiting staff dedicated to Asian American community outreach since last September.
Preview
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25—Several campaigns are converging in Las Vegas for Lunar New Year celebrations…
- Andrew Yang’s national campaign co-chair Evan Low is scheduled to meet with business leaders and veterans, then participates in a Spring Festival Parade at 12 p.m. ET.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s campaign manager Roger Lau kicks off an “AAPI weekend of action” in Chinatown at 6 p.m. ET.
- Former Vice President Joe Biden’s Surrogate Director Michelle Kwan will hold several Lunar New Year-themed events.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 26—Candidates are participating in or hosting AAPI outreach events in Iowa and Nevada…
- Tom Steyer surrogate Tony Choi will participate in an AAPI outreach event hosted by the Iowa Democratic Party’s Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus at 1 p.m. ET.
- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard will appear at a town hall in Moultonborough, New Hampshire.
- Andrew Yang appears on “Fox News Sunday,” then heads to several stops in South and Western Iowa as part of his 17-day bus tour.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29—The Democratic National Committee holds an AAPI organizing call at 6 p.m. ET…
- DNC staff will discuss delegate selection, changes in tech and data infrastructure, and upcoming programming in battleground states. RSVP here for details.
Calls
RECAP—These campaigns held calls with AAPI volunteers this week…
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s National AAPI Community Engagement and Organizing Director Mary Lou Akai-Ferguson led a Zoom meeting with South Asian volunteers on Monday.
- Former Vice President Joe Biden’s National AAPI Director Amit Jani led a national Punjabi and Sikh call on Wednesday.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders’ National AAPI Organizer Supreet Kaur promoted a “Sikhs for Bernie” webinar on Thursday.
On The Trail
BREAKING OVERNIGHT—Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) is weighing an endorsement of Joe Biden after the Senate impeachment trial concludes, the New York Times reports. Read more.
SPOTTED—Bernie 2020 California Political Director Jane Kim and national surrogate Dr. Paul Song spoke at an AAPI “barnstorm” event in Los Angeles last Friday, according to video from the Progressive Asian Network for Action. Watch here.
NEW LEADERSHIP—Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang has tapped California Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell)—one of Silicon Valley’s youngest legislators—to serve as national campaign co-chair. Read more.
TRUMP TRAINING—The Republican National Committee’s Asian Pacific American Community Engagement and Trump Victory Leadership Initiative (TVLI) held a training event in Dubuque, Iowa on Wednesday.
BLOOMBERG BLITZ—Billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg sat down with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus on Capitol Hill last Thursday and later met with AAPI community leaders in Los Angeles. The campaign also named Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida)—the first Vietnamese American woman to serve in Congress—national campaign co-chair. Read more.
ICYMI—2020 candidates spoke about issues facing communities of color at the Vice News Brown and Black Democratic presidential forum on Monday. Watch here.
ONE MORE THING—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against Hillary Clinton, accusing the former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee of smearing her by suggesting she was a “Russian asset.” Read more.
Endorsement Roundup
WARREN—More than 150 AAPI creatives, activists, and academics are backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), according to an open statement published on Thursday. Among the endorsers are activist Alton Wang, Reappropriate founder Jenn Fang, APALA Executive Director Alvina Yeh, AAAFund Digital Director Tiffany Hsieh, Human Rights Campaign Deputy Press Secretary Viet Tran, and Chinese American Progressive Action co-founder Chang Chiu.
- Also this week: Warren also won the support of California Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus chairman David Chiu, Kansas State Rep. Rui Xu, and Michigan State Sen. Stephanie Chang earlier.
SANDERS—Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington), one of the most high-profile AAPI members of Congress, endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) and will serve as national health policy chair.
YANG—Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang picked up the support of former eight-term Rep. Mike Honda (D-California) on Tuesday; Honda previously served as chair emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
BIDEN—Former Vice President Joe Biden won the endorsement of the AAPI Victory Fund, a super PAC that is expected to spend $2 million to mobilize Asian American voters during the Democratic primary.
Down The Ballot
ON THE HILL—DCCC ZEROES IN ON AAPIS IN ORANGE COUNTY: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the entity charged with helping elect Democrats to the House, is making an initial six-figure investment in reaching communities of color with a focus on defending House seats in California’s Orange County, The Yappie has learned.
- The details: The DCCC will specifically target Asian American and Pacific Islander populations in California’s 39th, 45th, 48th, and 49th congressional districts, AAPI media adviser Darwin Pham tells The Yappie. The group plans to roll out a constituency organizer program that includes field staff dedicated to AAPI outreach, and the effort is being coupled with in-language focus group research that began earlier this month, according to Rep. Judy Chu (D-California).
- Why it matters: “Asian American and Pacific Islander voters are crucial to Democrats winning in 2020, and the DCCC’s early investment in AAPI organizers shows that Democrats are not taking AAPI votes for granted,” ASPIRE PAC chair Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York) says. “These community organizers will be crucial to protecting our House majority and defending Orange County seats.”
Other notable updates…
- Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes (R), a member of President Trump’s AAPI Advisory Commission, has opted not to run for governor, but instead will seek re-election to his current post.
- Harry Arora (R) has won a special election to fill a vacancy in the 151st House District of Greenwich, Connecticut, the Hartford Courant reports.
- The Bay Area Reporter profiled Alex Lee (D), who is running for an open Assembly seat in California’s 25th district.
- Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu (D) has raised more than $1 million in his bid to win re-election, the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
- San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer (D) will not run for re-election, according to the San Francisco Examiner.
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