Asian-Americans grow louder in their bid for a political voice
- In Georgia, Democrat Michelle Au is one of 158 Asian-Americans vying for state legislative seats, up from 139 two years ago
- A disparate group realises that leverage can be maximised by joining forces with other minorities on issues of common concern
As voters in the United States prepare for the presidential election in November, the South China Morning Post is exploring the potential ramifications for China with its US election series.
New York City native Michelle Au is running for Georgia state senator as a Democrat in November, a move that might seem counter-intuitive for the daughter of Hong Kong-born parents in a conservative state with a long history of racism and voter suppression.
Her Republican opponent, real estate lawyer Matt Reeves, has accused Au of being “out of touch and mocking Georgia” and prejudiced against white people – even though she’s married to one.
But Au sees change working in her favour. The suburban Atlanta district she’s contesting has seen a large influx of immigrants. And as a woman, a member of a minority group and a doctor, she believes her candidacy dovetails with America’s shifting mood, growing diversity and focus on health care.
“People I meet say, ‘You’re not what I thought a candidate should look like,’” she said. “The things I’ve heard in running, with people suspicious of my being an Asian minority even though I was born here. That’s part of why I’m running, to show that we all belong here.”
Au, 42, is part of an increasingly motivated, politically confident Chinese-American – and broader Asian-American – community keen to move beyond traditional strongholds in New York and California and bit parts as wealthy donors.
