AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore Joins Bloomberg Government to Discuss Need to Engage AAPI Electorate Ahead of Midterms

By Jessel Thomas First Posted: Feb 08, 2022 04:48 AM EST

Bloomberg Government has published an article featuring AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore in which he discussed the urgent need to engage the AAPI electorate ahead of 2022 midterms.

(Photo : Fireside Campaigns)

As AAPI communities increase in key battleground states, Republicans have increased their outreach efforts to the critical voting bloc. As a broad, diverse community, AAPIs have the potential to make or break races in state districts that will decide the majority and, in preparation for midterms, AAPI Victory Alliance, along with fellow advocates and Democratic lawmakers, is encouraging their party to step up outreach to AAPI voters.

From Bloomberg Government:

"Varun Nikore, executive director of AAPI Victory Alliance, which works to build AAPI political power nationwide, said financial investment in Asian American voters during the 2020 election amounted to 'pennies on the dollar and in the last quarter of the ball game.' Data on which voters identify as Asian American and what ethnicity they are is 'abysmal.'"
"Nikore also saw firsthand during the 2021 Virginia governor race, won by Glenn Youngkin (R), how Republicans are focusing on voters like him. Youngkin targeted voters with specific plans to reach different groups of Americans including those with Polynesians, central Asian, and Middle Eastern backgrounds, according to a Washington Post op-ed penned by Youngkin's top campaign strategists."
"While exit polls showed that Asian Americans supported Terry McAuliffe (D) by a large margin, Nikore said he noticed the Republican outreach effort, including receiving mailers for Youngkin's campaign months before the election.'The fact this happened so early and it was specific and targeted should frankly send a shudder down the side of the Democratic Party.'"