LOS ANGELES – With Asian American Heritage Month in full swing, the Republican Party sought to take advantage of the momentum of the cultural event and reach out to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community of Los Angeles.
On Wednesday, Republican National Convention Chairman Reince Preibus spoke to the AAPI politicians and personalities based in Southern California, and explained the party’s plans to rebrand themselves as an immigrant-friendly party and to reach out to these communities.
The Republicans are looking to expand their outreach efforts by rebranding themselves and hiring young Asian Americans to join in the task of enticing new immigrant voters to their fold in preparation for the 2016 elections.
Prebius said that their party wanted to do “big things” and pursue a long term view to “fix the things that need to be fixed in presidential elections.”
“We want to put an end to this red-state-blue-state analysis which is a road to nowhere in this country,” Prebius said.
Prebius cited the 1988 electoral map of America, where predominantly Republican states included California, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland.
All red, and now it’s all gone, he said.
Prebius described the current battleground states as an eight-state “carnival” where you have to “hit all at the same time or you’re out of the game.”
He emphasized the need for national leadership to extend their help to the Republican grassroots movements in states like California to target those “big cultural votes.”
Prebius, who has been to California for at least three times this year, told reporters that the Republican Party here needs national help and attention. He said that he is committed to the Republican community in building their foothold in this predominantly blue state.
“We didn’t do well,” Prebius said of the 2012 election results that saw many Asians supporting Democratic candidates.
“If you don’t show up and you’re not campaigning on a year-round basis in the Asian community then why would you expect to do well? So we’re trying to change that,” Prebius said.
Pinoy Republicans speak up
Fil-Am Walnut Mayor Pro Tem Tony Cartagena said that the party needs to move forward and reach out to Filipinos.
“It is important to reach out to everybody, especially the Filipinos,” Cartagena said.
“Filipinos normally are not involved in the political process. And to have a voice, we need to get involved because there are many issues [where] we can help the Filipino-Americans [in],” Cartagena added.
Cecile Ramos of the Filipino-American Republican Party of LA said that in reaching out to Filipino voters, it should be emphasized that they need to indicate their party affiliation in their voter registration forms.
“We have to make sure [that] we share to the community what [being] Republican is all about. It’s about justice, integrity and fairness, equality,” Ramos added.
Democrats reach out as well
While the Republican chairman reached out to the Asian American leaders of their party here in LA, the Fil-Am Democrats also made their own own moves, according to a Balitang America report by Steve Angeles.
Fil-Am grassroots movement organization ‘KAYA’ held an informal meeting on Wednesday with the Philippine Consulate to discuss voter outreach and key Filipino issues.
(With reports from Balitang America)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend May 18-21, 2013 Sec. A pg.7)