By Carl Samson
Asian Americans emerge as key voters in Georgia’s politics
As their population rapidly expands, Asian Americans are becoming a decisive force in Georgia’s tight political races. With voter turnout nearly doubling in the 2020 election — and deciding Joe Biden’s slim victory — the group has significantly influenced key battleground districts, potentially reshaping the state’s political landscape.
- Rising political engagement: Georgia’s Asian American voters have reportedly surged to over 328,000, transforming traditionally conservative areas like Gwinnett County into multicultural battlegrounds. This shift is highlighted in the county’s District 99, where Michelle Kang, a Korean American Democrat, is challenging incumbent Republican Matt Reeves. With Asian Americans comprising 4.5% of Georgia’s electorate, their influence is steadily growing. The state’s legislature now includes 11 Asian American members, the largest such group in the continental U.S. The rise in political activism, partly spurred by the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings and increasing concerns over anti-Asian hate crimes, has led many in the community to seek representation. “We need to make sure that we have a seat at the table,” Sam Park, the first Asian American Democrat elected to Georgia’s legislature in 2016, told The Washington Post.
- The electoral background: Forsyth County, located northeast of Atlanta, mirrors the political transformation, with its growing Asian American community now integral to the Democratic Party’s strategy. Kannan Udayarajan, an Indian American leading the county’s Democrats, credits racial slights like the mocking of Kamala Harris’ name by a GOP senator as the catalyst for his political activism. Forsyth has seen significant demographic changes, with its Asian American voter base doubling over the past two decades. While Biden lost the county in 2020, new Democratic votes from the area helped close the gap, contributing to his narrow win in Georgia. “Our numbers are still small, but we could be the deciding factor in terms of margin of victory,” James Woo of Asian Americans Advancing Justice told CNN. Although Asian American voters hold diverse political views, Woo believes their focus on issues like the economy will drive turnout, potentially influencing close races in the state.
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