Full Breakdown
AAPI Voters Lean Democratic as Trust in Trump Declines Ahead of Midterms
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
A new AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll released in October shows Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) adults are moving away from President Donald Trump and the Republican Party as the November midterm elections approach. Only about one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of Trump’s overall job performance, and roughly two-in-ten approve of his handling of the economy—an issue the poll identifies as the top priority for this voting bloc.
Data & Statistics
- Economic approval: Down about 10 percentage points over the past year; roughly 20 % now approve of Trump’s economic management.
- Overall approval: About 25 % of AAPI adults approve of Trump’s presidency overall.
- Party favorability: Favorable views of Trump fell from roughly 40 % in late 2024 to about 30 % now.
- Issue importance: 9 in 10 AAPI adults rank the economy as a key election issue; 8 in 10 cite the cost of living; 7 in 10 list healthcare as a top concern. Foreign policy, crime, immigration, election fairness and climate change each rank as important for roughly half of respondents.
- Election concerns: Approximately 50 % view voter suppression as a “major problem,” and two-thirds see foreign interference as a major threat. Similar shares are “extremely” or “very” worried about misinformation and legal challenges to election results.
Official Statements & Responses
Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data, said the poll indicates that any post-2024 “honeymoon” gains for Trump have largely vanished. Len Takahashi, a self-identified conservative from Texas, warned that Trump may amplify claims of election fraud to distract the public if the midterms do not favor him.
Verbatim Quotes
- “What the data show is that any gains that he made not only during the 2024 election — there was a bit of a honeymoon period that Trump enjoyed after the election before Inauguration Day — that has now largely disappeared,” — Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director ofAAPI Data