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Polls show decline in Indian American support for Biden ahead of upcoming elections

BY VEENA RAO

Atlanta, GA, July 11, 2024: Findings from a recently released voter survey indicate a notable decline in support for President Joe Biden among Asian American voters including Indian Americans, highlighting shifting dynamics within this crucial voting bloc.

In the 2020 presidential election, 54% of Asian American voters intended to vote for Biden. However, this support has dropped to 46%, an 8-point decrease. Meanwhile, support for Donald Trump has remained relatively stable, with 31% of Asian American voters indicating they would vote for him if the election were held today, up slightly from 30% in 2020. Additionally, 5% of Asian American voters now say they would vote for a third-party candidate, compared to just 1% in the previous election cycle. The remainder are either undecided or refuse to disclose their voting intentions.

The findings were part of the bi-annual voter survey report released earlier this week by the Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and its partners Asian American Voter Survey (AAVS), the longest-running longitudinal survey of AAPI voters. Conducted in partnership with AAPI Data, APIAVote, and AARP, the AAVS is a comprehensive, multilingual survey aimed at understanding the issues that matter most to this rapidly growing electorate and how these issues impact their voting habits.

The 2024 Asian American Voter Survey (AAVS) included 2,479 registered Asian American voters, including 447 Indians. The survey was conducted through 1,257 telephone interviews and 1,222 self-administered online surveys.

Asian Americans have been the fastest growing group of eligible voters in the U.S. over the past two decades, growing by 15 percent in the last four years alone, and Asian Americans have turned out in record numbers in every federal election since 2016. In 2020, a surge in Asian American voters – especially those voting for the very first time – in battleground states was crucial to Biden’s victory.

Despite the decline in Biden’s support, however, voter engagement within the Asian American community remains robust. 90% of Asian American voters plan to participate in the upcoming presidential election, with 68% certain they will cast their ballots. However, younger voters (ages 18-34) show less certainty, with only 62% absolutely sure they will vote.

Political party outreach continues to be an issue, with 42% of Asian American voters reporting no contact from either major party this election season. Specifically, half have not been contacted by the Democratic Party, and 57% have not heard from the Republican Party.

Voter Priorities

Asian American voters prioritize jobs and the economy, inflation, and healthcare as the most important issues influencing their voting decisions. They also place high importance on crime, education, Social Security and Medicare, and the cost of housing.

There are clear differences in how Asian American voters perceive the performance of the two major parties. They tend to favor the Democratic Party on issues like healthcare, reproductive rights, and gun control, while believing the Republican Party handles national security and immigration more effectively. Concerns about hate crimes, harassment, and discrimination remain significant, with over two-thirds of voters expressing worry about these issues.

Party Identification and Presidential Favorability

Around 42% Asian American voters identify as Democrats, 22% as Republicans, and 31% as Independents. Presidential favorability ratings show that 51% view Joe Biden favorably, compared to 34% for Donald Trump.

Educational Access and Inclusive Curriculum

A strong majority of Asian American voters support initiatives for better educational opportunities and inclusive curricula that cover the history of Asian Americans and other communities of color. Moreover, 72% speak a language other than English at home, and 75% agree that translations or interpreters should be available at polling stations.

Gun Control and Climate Change

Gun control and climate change are also critical issues for Asian American voters. Over three in four Asian American voters (77%) agree, with 53% agreeing “very strongly,” that the United States should have stricter gun laws. Similarly, over two-thirds (69%) believe that Congress and the president should pass stronger legislation to reduce the effects of climate change.

Media Consumption

Most Asian American voters rely on television for news, followed by print and digital newspapers, and YouTube. While three-quarters get their news from English-language sources, a notable 25% also consume news in other languages.

The release of the AAVS comes just before APIAVote’s Presidential Town Hall, being held in Philadelphia on July 13 featuring a keynote speech from Vice President Kamala Harris.

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