WASHINGTON—Yesterday, AAPI Progressive Action, sister organization to the AAPI Victory Fund, hosted a virtual conversation with Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton. This event follows the AAPI Victory Fund’s event with Vice President Joe Biden on May 18, 2020.

Interviewed by journalist and CNN presenter Lisa Ling, Secretary Clinton made clear that AAPIs need to be seen and heard during this campaign cycle. She voiced that President Trump’s continued usage of the term “Chinese virus” scapegoats Asian Americans and distracts from the failures of his administration to adequately address COVID-19. Trump’s racist and xenophobic attacks have resulted in over one thousand documented hate incidents against AAPIs nationwide.

“Secretary Clinton’s commentary that AAPIs need to stand up against the Trump campaign’s strategy of deflection is not only critical in supporting our community, but makes it all the more clear, for the health and safety of our community and nation, that Joe Biden must be elected as our next president,” said Varun Nikore, president of the AAPI Victory Fund. “AAPIs need to do more than vote, they need to make sure that all of their friends and family take action by voting Trump out of office.”

In reflecting back at her run for president in 2016, Secretary Clinton provided her criteria in selecting a vice presidential candidate at the time.

1. Can this person immediately become president. Is this person ready to assume what is and should be the awesome responsibility of being president;
2. Is this someone that you want to work closely with for 4 years; and
3. Can this person help you win the electoral college and swing states.

“There was a record number of AAPIs that ran for elected office in 2018 in response to the abusive policies of President Trump and the Republican-led Congress. There were three AAPIs on debate stage for president this election cycle. Today there are leading AAPIs that would be suitable to serve as Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate,” said Nikore. “Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton’s engagement with our organizations underscore that they believe the AAPI vote is worth investing in. President Trump is not interested in courting our vote, but instead he works to alienate and spur others to violently attack our community. The 2020 Elections will be known as the elections where AAPIs stood up for what is right.”

Last year the AAPI Victory Fund held the first-ever Democratic Presidential Forum and put AAPI voters at the forefront of national issues. Following that event, the AAPI Victory Fund hosted Vice President Biden in his first national engagement with the AAPI community, which included Senators Mazie Hirono, Kamala Harris and Tammy Duckworth. The AAPI Victory Fund is the only national Political Action Committee engaged in mobilizing the AAPI vote, with a focus on battleground states. As the fastest growing racial group in the U.S. since 2000, the AAPI voting bloc is a highly critical element to several paths to victory in battleground states in this election.

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The AAPI Victory Fund – the first Super PAC of its kind – is focused on mobilizing Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) eligible voters and moving them to the ballot box.