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Asian Americans
PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
2:37pm
Wed Feb 20
3 comments

Gingrich, Axelrod Talk Politics, Demographics & The Future Of The Republican Party

Politics

In front of a more than 600-person audience, former speaker of the house and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich sat down for a 90-minute conversation with former White House senior adviser, President Obama’s 2012 campaign manager, and new MSNBC correspondent David Axelrod at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics last night. Progress Illinois was there for the candid discussion.

PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
5:28pm
Thu Feb 14

Are Republicans Really Courting The Minority Vote?

Politics

A lack of minority presence in the Republican Party and a poor turnout of non-white voters has prompted many to question the party’s ability to reach out, and forced Republican National Committee chairman, Reince Priebus, to travel to Atlanta and speak to black voters.

Quick Hit
by Michael Sandler
3:24pm
Tue Feb 5

Illinois' Asian American Caucus Hopes To Push Community Issues Forward, Promote Political Involvement

Andy Kang noticed the funny looks.

At an Asian American Center for Advancing Justice conference in Chicago last year, Kang, the Asian American Institute’s (AAI) senior staff attorney, presented an idea for a legislative caucus that would address the needs of Asian Americans in Illinois.

However, Illinois doesn’t currently have—and has never had—an Asian American member in the state legislature. “They said, ‘you’re going to form an Asian American caucus with no Asian American elected officials?’” Kang told Progress Illinois. “But it makes sense, so long as we yield results.”

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Quick Hit
by Michael Sandler
1:05am
Wed Nov 7, 2012

Chicago’s Asian American Voters Feeling Alienated, Economic Pain

Fred, a native of India who immigrated to the United States to find work, came to DeWitt Clinton Elementary School in Uptown on Tuesday afternoon to let his voice be heard.

“People still have dreams. They still have hope.” Fred told Progress Illinois. “But we are facing the debt of the last ten years.”

Married with two sons and a daughter, Fred studied to be a medical technologist. But now, he’s looking for work. In this election, Fred said finances are his big concern. “When you have a family, you aren’t looking out for one stomach, you have to feed four people at the house,” he said. Fred also made it clear he doesn’t want to take care of his family by using government handouts. “I want to live off real paid checks,” he said.

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Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
11:17am
Mon Jul 23, 2012
1 comment

Growing Asian American, Pacific Islander Voting Bloc Being Ignored, Poll Finds

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters are expected to make a record turnout for the presidential election this November, however the findings of a recent poll revealed that candidates and their parties have largely ignored this rapidly growing voter population.

More than 1,100 Asian American and Pacific Islander voters from across the country were surveyed in April. The poll, organized by nonpartisan Asian American Justice Center, APIAVote and the Asian American Institute, marks the first time voting trends among Asian Americans have been examined.

Conducted by Lake Research Partners, results show that approximately 4 out of 5 Asian Americans in Illinois report being almost certain to vote this November.

Majority of Illinois’ AAPI voters favor the Democratic Party at both the congressional and presidential levels, according to the poll results; however a significant percentage of individuals see no, or doesn’t know, the differences between the parties.

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