Trump Campaign Reveals the Asian Pacific American Advisory Council Weeks Before Election

September 26, 2016

With just a few weeks left before the elections, Donald Trump’s campaign team has announced its own coalition for minority groups.

More than two-dozen Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) supportive of the Republican presidential nominee have formed the Asian Pacific American advisory committee to garner support of the quickly growing demographic, Trump’s campaign website stated.

The group, composed of elected and appointed Asian-American officials, featured some members who were part of the campaign’s earlier formed National Diversity Coalition, another team created to reach out to minority voters.

The announcement was accompanied by a video that explains why the group is voting for Trump:

The committee members include Korean Americans for Trump founder Lisa Shin, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, the son of a Spanish-Filipino immigrant father and a Japanese-Hawaiian mother, Tian Wang, organizer of Chinese Americans for Trump, and former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

Co-chairpersons for the group are Governors Eddie Calvo of Guam and Ralph Torres of Northern Mariana Islands.

They are set to meet with Trump and running-mate Mike Pence to discuss minority concerns including education, employment, and the economy, among others, reported NBC News.

Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are set to engage in their first presidential debate on Monday, moderated by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and covered by every major television network.

According to a survey released in May, Trump is viewed less favorably than his opponent among the minority voting public, including Asian-American registered voters.

Recent polls revealed that Trump is currently behind Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by six points.

While formed in July, the group was just formally proclaimed recently, just a few weeks before the election. Trump campaign coalitions advisor Jason Chung told NBC News that the announcement just before the debate is in good timing.

“We’re trying to highlight Mr. Trump’s record and his accomplishments and what he wants to do for the American people. What better way than to do that right before the debate, when millions of Americans will be tuning in,” she said.

Clinton has her own AAPI leadership council, which is announced eight months earlier than Trump’s. Members include 150 elected officials and community leaders, including Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), and Democratic Representative Gregorio Sablan from the Northern Mariana Islands.

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