National & Congressional Asian Pacific Islanders Leaders

Endorse Otto Lee and Keith Umemoto for Reelection to the DNC

Happy Lunar New Year, Year of the Wooden Dragon!

We are writing to urge you to support Otto Lee and Keith Umemoto for reelection to the DNC.  Both serve as officers of the DNC Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Caucus, with Otto, Vice Chair and Keith, Founding Chair and current Secretary.   

Otto and Keith have played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the DNC's AAPI effort to elect Democrats, which has included active participation with California's Fil-Am and Asian Pacific Islander Caucuses and numerous other state AAPI caucuses.  Their effort and experience is indispensable for the upcoming 2024 elections.

The growth of eligible AAPI voters has increased by 15 percent nationally (2 million) since 2020. identical to the percentage growth in California.  In 1992, Bill Clinton only received 43% of the AAPI vote, while Al Gore received 54% in 2000.  The transformation has been phenomenal, as PEW Research (June 2021) found that 72% of AAPIs voted for Joe Biden in 2020, and the same percentage also opposed Governor Newsom's ill-fated recall (per PPI).  

Jaime Harrison, Chair of the DNC, stated that the AAPI Vote was “the Margin of Victory.”  The AAPI vote, along with other core constituencies, helped lift President Biden to victory in battleground states.  Without our vote, Joe Biden would not be President today, nor would Senators Warnock, Ossoff, or Cortez-Masto be in the US Senate, and countless members of the House of Representatives.  The Republican Party has been investing heavily in AAPI communities, so it is critical to reelect Otto and Keith to the DNC and get AAPIs to vote for Democrats.

The DNC AAPI Caucus officers also produced an analysis on the AANHPI Vote Margin of Victory, and have been having national zoom meetings for the 2024 elections.  Furthermore, Otto also serves on the DNC Credentials Committee member and as an officer of the DNC Veterans and Military Family Council, and Keith serves on the DNC Resolutions Committee and with the DNC Labor, Poverty and Senior Councils. 

As you cast your vote for up to 20 candidates at the May 2024 Executive Board meeting, we ask you for your support and vote to reelect Otto Lee and Keith Umemoto to the DNC.

Sincerely,

Judy Chu, Chair Congressional APA Caucus, CAPAC
Grace Meng, Vice Chair CAPAC, Former DNC Vice Chair
Doris Matsui, Executive Board CAPAC
Mark Takano, 2nd Vice Chair CAPAC
Ro Khanna, Executive Board CAPAC
Ted Lieu, Assistant Whip House Democratic Caucus