On background from the Harris-Walz campaign:
This week, Team Harris-Walz is rolling out digital “out of home” ads in Las Vegas, Nevada to engage with Filipino American voters as they gather to celebrate the richness of Filipino food and culture.
Taxi tops, bus shelters, and billboards highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for “Pinoy Pride” will be placed in the radius of the Pinoy Pride Festival beginning on September 27, just days before the start of Filipino American History Month in October. Several of the placements also include the celebratory greeting “Mabuhay!” to complement the festive feeling of the event.
“Under Vice President Harris’ leadership, Filipino American History Month celebrations were revived at the White House. And as Filipino Americans gather to celebrate their history and heritage, Team Harris-Walz is proud to join in honoring the resilience and joy of this incredible community,” said Harris-Walz Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Spokesperson Andrew Peng. “These ads underscore our campaign’s efforts to reach Filipino American voters where they are and speak with them about what’s at stake in this election – freedom, safety, dignity, and an Opportunity Economy where small businesses can thrive and working people can fully realize the promise of America.”
WHY THIS MATTERS
Asian Americans now make up about ten percent of Nevada’s eligible voters – a larger share than in any state except Hawaii or California – and between 2016 and 2020, Asian American and Pacific Islander voters saw the biggest turnout jump of every group of voters in Nevada.
Nevada’s Filipino American voters will likely have a decisive role in this election. The ads build on the historic work by the Harris-Walz campaign to reach Filipino and Asian American voters:
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In March, the coordinated campaign opened up a field office in southwest Las Vegas – the heart of the state’s Asian American community – while Team Trump and the GOP shut down their Asian American outreach center. Nationally, the Harris-Walz campaign has dedicated staff, hosts twice-weekly Asian American voter phone banks, and will soon launch volunteer canvasses in coordination with state organizers.
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On July 9, Vice President Harris formally launched the campaign’s national Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander organizing and engagement program in Las Vegas. Ahead of the launch, the campaign in Nevada placed a paid media blitz in local Asian American news outlets, including the Las Vegas Chinese Daily News, Asian Journal, Las Vegas Japan Times, Korean Las Vegas Times, and the Philippine Times of Southern Nevada.
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Team Harris-Walz and Nevada Democrats have hosted numerous community and cultural events to engage with Asian American voters, such as a traditional Kamayan Feast, Karaoke for Kamala, and “Spam and Boba” nights. Earlier this month, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz met with community members celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at the restaurant Xiao Long Dumplings.
The campaign has made investments in paid media outlets targeting Filipino American voters, including running ads on The Filipino Channel, among other outlets. In one ad, “Reduced,” Rozita, a Filipina American living in Las Vegas focuses on the active threat Donald Trump poses to the health of Asian American communities and his calls to “terminate” health care protections from the Affordable Care Act that have been implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration.
