Views split for the House
THE November 6 midterm elections are just three weeks away but many Americans have already cast their votes through early voting and mail-in ballots.
Asian Americans, including Filipinos, show high enthusiasm to make their voices heard and cast their vote that may change the political landscape of America.
The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” reported this week about the new survey conducted by the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIA Vote), which reveals that 48 percent of Asian Americans are more enthusiastic to vote this year, a 20-point rise from the results of the 2014 survey.
In a microstudy of kababayans’ responses, this year shows an even higher level of enthusiasm, with 92 percent of Fil-Am voters surveyed saying they plan to vote in the midterm elections.
The APIA Vote study also found that Asian American voters, in general, prefer the Democratic Party candidates. In the Senate race, 52 percent favor Democrats, while in the House, 50 percent favor Democrats.
Breaking it down to Fil-Am voters’ response to the survey shows a different result from kababayans in the Senate race. Forty-six percent of Fil-Am voters said they would vote Republican, while 36 said they would vote Democrat.
The results in the House race among Fil-Am voters, however, run parallel with the Asian American voting preference. Forty percent of kababayans say they will vote Democrat, and an equal number, 40 percent, expressed favoring the Republican candidates. Ten percent said they would vote for another party.
The poll also reveals that Filipino voters who live outside of California slightly prefer Republican Senate candidates.
When it comes to the issues regarding taxes, jobs, the economy, and national security, Asian Americans side more with the Republican Party.
Democrats are preferred by Asian American voters when it comes to issues concerning the environment, racial discrimination, gun control, and health care.
When asked about Trump’s job performance as president, a majority of Asian-Americans — 58 percent — disapprove of his performance, while 36 percent approved.
“Balitang America” also reported that the survey likewise reveals a more pro-Trump response among Fil-Ams, compared to Trump’s approval among Asian Americans. The poll showed a divide among Filipinos in America — 48 percent said they approve, while 48 percent said they disapprove.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
