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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Los Angeles Times: How the Republican Party made gains in California but missed in San Diego County
Key passages:
Along with that polarization, local Republicans had to grapple with the "Trump factor." President Trump remains broadly unpopular in California; only 33% of the state's voters, and 37% of San Diegans, chose him over Joe Biden.
However, demographics don't necessarily determine political destiny, election observers say.
"None of these shifts that we've seen in recent years should be seen as inevitable or permanent," said Dominguez, noting that Republicans did well with Latino voters in some parts of the country during this election cycle.
Demographics "should be something that smart political parties look at in terms of their analysis and data and how can they reach out, build organizations, message better and find out what kind of work can they do to get the votes in the places they need votes," she said.
Republican Darrell Issa, who represented San Diego in Congress for 18 years and will return to the House in January after winning the seat in the 50th District, said Republican candidates in San Diego have a model for success if they look north to the congressional victories of Young Kim and Michelle Steel in Orange County. Both flipped Democratic seats.
"Michelle and Young were both running as pro-growth, pro-economy Republicans, but they also were running as immigrant stories," Issa said. "They were very proud of knowing where they came from and talking about how they knew where they wanted to go . . . It was all about the life they built here."
Issa pointed to another positive sign for California Republicans: The party is nearly back to where it was in congressional representation before 2018's "blue wave."
De Maio said San Diego Republicans should be prepared to take advantage of a more favorable future in 2022, especially if Democrats struggle with control of the city, the county and Sacramento.
Pitney similarly noted that California is facing serious challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic overshadows everything, he said, and the state, county and cities will have major fiscal problems, with uncertainties about state revenue and pension obligations.
That could provide an opportunity for Republicans over the next several years, he added.
"With Democrats essentially in control of everything in Sacramento and everything locally, they are on the hook . . . if things go bad," Pitney said. "Naturally, when times get tough, people get annoyed with the party in power."
Worth mentioning that both Michelle Steel
and Young Kim
are Korean-Americans who relied on mainly non-Asian conservatives to have won their seats.
Edited by FluffyMcChicken on Nov 25th 2020 at 4:11:47 AM
I don't understand the number of Asian-Americans who would want to be members of a political party whose leaders have denigrated them in the past and present. I'm Asian-American myself and the amount of racism against Asian-Americans is really prevalent. Just look at the usage of the words "Kung Flu" and "China Virus" to describe Covid-19, as well as the hostility President Pigface and his supporters have against Asian-Americans. These are truly Oxymoronic Beings here.
Edited by clemont107 on Nov 25th 2020 at 7:19:40 AM
"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - DawnYeah, to be frank this is the sort of mentality we need to move away from for Democrats to make gains again - taking for granted that all minorities instinctively oppose Republicans and Republican policies and getting shocked when they vote red in larger than expected amounts.
I've wondered myself privately a few months ago if the tendency in American demography to lump large groups of people into broad categories, particularly Latinx and Asian, was going to cause problems. I just didn't expect it to happen in this year's elections.
I agree with your broader point, but it there any data that shows Asian Americans as a whole have moved to the right compared to 2016?
Edit: I don't necessarily think that the categories Latino/Hispanic and Asian American are completely useless - there are enough broad similarities (not quite the right word but I can't think of a better way to phrase it) within the groups that it makes sense as a general classification. (The same applies to African Americans and Native Americans too). They have enough shared interests to be put under the same large umbrella, but aren't monoliths, and too many people treat them as such.
Having said the above, one thing I remember is that both Latinos and Asian Americans overall have comparatively low rates of voter turnout. Both groups also generally report much less engagement from political campaigns and less targeted outreach, or any outreach whatsoever. That's probably one place where Democrats could look to do better.
Edited by nova92 on Nov 25th 2020 at 5:45:47 AM
Obrador once again doesn't want to reach out to Biden until the "election" process is over.
538: How Asian Americans Are Thinking About The 2020 Election
Key passages:
Many Vietnamese Americans fled to the U.S. after the [Vietnam] war, and Vo said they may support the Republican Party because they view it as more strongly anti-communist than the Democratic Party. Her friend and podcast co-host, Ngo, also pointed out that many Vietnamese Americans who identify as Catholic may be more socially conservative, a factor that could also explain why Filipino Americans, 65 percent of whom are Catholic, are more likely to support Republicans than other groups of Asian Americans.
Both Anabelle Vo and Ngo have noticed a distinct generational divide in their own personal experiences, with younger Vietnamese Americans much more likely to identify with the Democratic Party than would their parents or grandparents.
On the other hand, Republicans have seen modest gains among Indian Americans, who are the most Democratic-leaning group of Asian Americans. Some of this may have to do with increased mobilization efforts by activist groups like the Republican Hindu Coalition, who capitalized on ideological overlaps between Trump and India's popular nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, leading some Indian Americans to vote Republican. Only 21 percent of Indian Americans identify with, or lean towards, the Republican Party, but that's still roughly double what it was in 2012.
If Republicans are looking to persuade Asian Americans, however, there is one potential issue where they may have the upperhand. Ninety percent of Asian Americans said that jobs and the economy are either "extremely" or "very" important. And on that issue, 35 percent said that Republicans are doing a better job, while only 31 percent said Democrats are. The rest said there was no difference, or that they don't know.
Only 30 percent of Asian American voters said they have been contacted by the Democratic Party in the past year, and only 24 percent said they have been contacted by the Republican Party.
If that's the case, I guess Democrats have to emphasize an anti-Communist stance, because Communism is not the same as Socialism. Also they should try to create more jobs and try to bring the economy back to pre-Covid levels so they get credit instead of the GOP.
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Should note that that's based on a pre-election survey, which IIRC has a large percentage of undecided voters. AAPI Data and the AALDEF both do post-election surveys, so that should give a better picture of where Asian American voters stand relative to 2016.
A survey of just youth voters from this year found about 80% of Asian American youth supported Biden, but that didn't have any further breakdowns, or any previous numbers to compare with.
Edited by nova92 on Nov 25th 2020 at 8:21:57 AM
Generally it's the older Asian-American populace who lean more conservative (and thus Republican).
Though at least a few were put off by just how boorish Trump is. My ninety-plus year old grandma in Taiwan for example isn't a USA citizen, but she followed the election. And she was horrified by Trump's...everything. She couldn't believe it when some of her peers supported Trump.
She initially wasn't that keen on Biden either, but watching him speak and the contrast between him and Trump caused her to warm up to him.
Edited by M84 on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:21:41 AM
Disgusted, but not surprisedPeople believe what they want to believe, I guess.
The reality of course is that when policy-makers really want to get "tough", they do it quietly to avoid revealing their hand too soon. The truly strong don't flaunt their power.
Edited by M84 on Nov 26th 2020 at 12:30:35 AM
Disgusted, but not surprisedSo my grandma apparently called my mom sobbing because she felt so bad for Trump, and I am reminded once again that half of the country is basically in a cultish alternate reality.
I’m serious. There is a list of 15 characteristics of cults
, and it’s terrifying how accurately some of the characteristics describes the current Republican Party. I could count 5 or 6 that Directly apply to the current Republican Party, and a few more that could potentially apply as well, although not necessarily as widely.
Directly applies
- The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
- Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
- The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). (Only I can fix it)
- The group has a polarized, us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
- The group is preoccupied with making money.
- The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
Possibly applies
- Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
- The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. * This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (e.g., lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
- Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
- The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group.
Edited by megaeliz on Nov 25th 2020 at 1:37:31 PM

Couldn't they use nuclear fusion to create the gold and silver they need?
"Wow, no Mega Togekiss in Legends Z-A. Or any non-Froslass new Sinnoh Mega Evolutions. Round of applause, everybody." - Dawn