Asian Americans make up the largest minority population in New York’s 3rd Congressional District. Both candidates in the special election have engaged the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, recognizing the potential impact Asian voters could have.
Asian Americans account for more than 20% of the district’s population, which includes parts of Queens and Nassau counties on Long Island, according to the 2020 Census.
“I really believe that Asian voters can be a margin of victory here. You know, 20% is a huge amount, especially if they are motivated to come out and vote, and especially in a special election where turnout is traditionally lower,” US Democratic Rep. Grace Meng of New York’s 6th District, who helped get out the vote for Democrat Tom Suozzi.
The Suozzi campaign has distributed campaign literature, phone banked and sent text messages. Republican Mazi Pilip’s campaign has also phone banked, sent mailers and knocked on doors in Asian communities.
“At the point we are in history, Asians are more engaged than ever before when it comes to voting. They’re paying attention more and they’re realizing that they have a stake and that they also have a voice,” GOP activist and former boxer Cara Castronuova, who helped the Pilip campaign do outreach to the district’s Asian community.
Pilip won the endorsement of the New York organization, Asian Wave Alliance, and held an event with the group earlier this month in Great Neck. Yiatin Chu, the group’s president, told CNN that Asian Wave Alliance felt Pilip’s policies better aligned with their top concerns — congestion pricing, affordability, illegal immigration and crime.
