WASHINGTON — Last week, Democrats squashed the anticipated red wave, ushering in historic victories up and down the ballot, across the nation. From the Democratic trifectas gained in four crucial states to landmark victories in gubernatorial races, to maintaining control of the Senate chamber, the midterm elections proved to be a significant triumph. 

With abortion access and democracy on the ballot, Democrats showed up. Bucking historical trends and nationwide forecasts, Democrats made gains across the country. These historic victories were hard-won, and could not have been achieved without the support of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. 

AANHPIs comprise 6.2% of the U.S. population and are the country’s fastest-growing racial or ethnic minority, with a surging population in many battleground states. In Nevada, for instance, – where Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto won re-election – AANHPIs make up 11% of the state’s electorate, a figure that shows a 49% increase in voter eligibility since 2012. 

As the fastest-growing sector of the electorate, AANHPIs are emerging with a new wave of political power, as a critical election-determining community that helped make these Democratic gains possible, and can continue this progress in Georgia later this month.

As Democrats celebrate the momentous wins of this year’s election, they must also turn their eyes toward the Georgia Senate runoff race which begins early voting in just two short weeks. As things stand, the Democrats have maintained a slim majority in the Senate, but may depend on the re-election of Senator Raphael Warnock in order to pass key legislation and fill court vacancies ahead of the tumultuous 2024 election. 

AAPI Victory Fund President and CEO Brad Jenkins issued the following statement:

“I am elated to lead the AAPI Victory Fund in celebrating the historic victories achieved by Democrats on election night. From the local, state, to the national levels, we watched Democrats show up in full force at the polls, fighting against gerrymandered maps, voter suppression, and dangerous lies. With competitive margins of victory in many of the Senate and Gubernatorial races in swing states, it is safe to say that Democratic wins depended on the turnout of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander electorate.

“As we celebrate our victories and hard-fought battles, we must also turn our eyes towards the future – the Georgia Senate runoff race. Just as we got back up to rally to the polls in the 2021 runoff, I am calling on Georgia AANHPIs to rise to this occasion and turn out in full force as the margin of victory once more for the runoff election this year.

“The gains we’ve made in 2022 are momentous, and Georgia’s runoff election gives our nation the chance to enhance the impact of Democratic interests with a proper 51-seat majority in the Senate. As the GOP continues its organized attacks on voting rights, reproductive rights, and democracy itself, it is imperative that we stand up for AANHPI interests, and continue to build Democratic power in the Senate.

“In the coming weeks, the AAPI Victory Fund will be turning our sights on the Georgia runoff and making significant investments in the Georgia electorate. We have a lot of work to do in these next few weeks, and we are feeling energized and ready to put in the resources, energy, and attention required in this last stretch ahead!”

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The AAPI Victory Fund is focused on mobilizing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) eligible voters and moving them to the ballot box.