Asian Americans Fight Progressive Policies

The 2020 election cycle saw extensive media coverage of Hispanic voters and their surprisingly widespread support for conservatives. With midterms on the horizon, the Asian-American voting bloc could be the next one to watch. For the past 20 years, the Asian-American population has consistently voted for Democratic candidates and positions. However, thanks to hyper-progressive policies that are turning off many in those communities, another political shift may be under way.

An early indication of an Asian political backlash against Democrats was the San Francisco recall election of three members of the board of education. The recall occurred in the context of what many parents viewed as a dereliction of duty by the school board. In the previous year, the board had spent a considerable amount of time renaming a third of its schools instead of focusing on educating students and reopening classrooms during the pandemic. In addition, the board abolished the meritocratic system for entrance into the district’s highest-performing high school, Lowell High School, and reverted to a lottery admission system. Many of these changes to the educational system in San Francisco were disruptive and ineffectual, thereby impeding the education of students in the San Francisco area. This was particularly motivating for Asian Americans, given the importance the community places on education, and they helped deliver a rebuke to district officials for spending time on progressive politicking rather than their own jobs.

RK

About the Author

Rohan Krishnan

Rohan Krishnan is a rising junior at Yale University and a summer editorial intern at National Review.

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The 2020 election cycle saw extensive media coverage of Hispanic voters and their surprisingly widespread support for conservatives. With midterms on the horizon, the Asian-American voting bloc could be the next one to watch. For the past 20 years, the Asian-American population has consistently voted for Democratic candidates and positions. However, thanks to hyper-progressive policies that are turning off many in those communities, another political shift may be under way.

An early indication of an Asian political backlash against Democrats was the San Francisco recall election of three members of the board of education. The recall occurred in the context of what many parents viewed as a dereliction of duty by the school board. In the previous year, the board had spent a considerable amount of time renaming a third of its schools instead of focusing on educating students and reopening classrooms during the pandemic. In addition, the board abolished the meritocratic system for entrance into the district’s highest-performing high school, Lowell High School, and reverted to a lottery admission system. Many of these changes to the educational system in San Francisco were disruptive and ineffectual, thereby impeding the education of students in the San Francisco area. This was particularly motivating for Asian Americans, given the importance the community places on education, and they helped deliver a rebuke to district officials for spending time on progressive politicking rather than their own jobs.