Economic optimism and several racial and immigration-related attitudes were associated with Asian American voters’ support for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, according to a study published in Political Research Quarterly. The researchers also found that stronger feelings of solidarity with one’s racial group were linked to lower Trump support.
The study, led by Joyce H. Nguy of Golden West College, Nathan K. Chan of Loyola Marymount University and Jessica HyunJeong Lee of California State University, Fullerton, examined voting patterns across the 2016, 2020 and 2024 elections. The team analyzed Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey responses from 24,061 voters, including 5,776 Asian American respondents.
In the 2024 election, about 38% of Asian American voters in the survey said they had voted for Trump, while 57% reported voting for Kamala Harris. Support for Trump varied by national origin: Vietnamese and Filipino Americans were most likely to back him, while Japanese Americans were least likely.
Respondents who were optimistic about their future family income and job prospects were more likely to report voting for Trump. The researchers found a similar association between economic optimism and Trump support among Black, Latino and White voters.
Racial solidarity, measured by asking how much respondents felt their lives were affected by what happened to others of their race, was associated with lower Trump support among Asian Americans. This relationship was especially apparent in 2020 and remained in evidence in 2024. Stronger racial solidarity was also linked to lower support among Black voters, but the study found no statistically significant relationship for Latino and White voters in 2024.
The analysis also linked higher racial resentment to greater Trump support among Asian American voters. That association appeared across the 2016, 2020 and 2024 elections for Asian American, Latino and White voters. Negative views of immigration were another predictor: respondents who said immigrants weakened the country were more likely to support Trump. The researchers observed this relationship among Asian American voters as well as other racial groups.
The authors cautioned that survey data can show associations, but cannot establish that any particular attitude caused someone’s vote. They also noted that questions about economic views differed across election years, making direct comparisons difficult. Changes in support may also reflect who turned out to vote, rather than voters changing their political preferences.
The study, “How Election Fundamentals and Racialized Considerations Shape Asian American Vote Choice Through the Trump Era,” was authored by Nguy, Chan and Lee.
Sources: PsyPost.