By Stephen Stirling
The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund surveyed 700 Asian-American voters during the Feb. 5 primary, which saw Clinton carry her home state by a wide margin over U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). “Asian-American voters have demonstrated strong interest in presidential elections, and they made their voices heard on Super Tuesday,” said AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung. AALDEF surveyed 531 Asian-American voters in the communities of Flushing, Elmhurst and Bayside in Queens as well as Manhattan's Chinatown and Sunset Park in Brooklyn. The results showed that of the voters, 95 percent of whom were registered Democrats, 86 percent supported Clinton with just 14 percent voting for Obama. Among the Asian ethnic groups surveyed, the exit polls found that Chinese-American voters gave Clinton the greatest support, with 91 percent throwing their support behind New York's junior senator. Obama fared better with the other groups surveyed but still lost out by a large margin. Some 81 percent of Korean-American voters and 70 percent of South Asian American voters polled supported Clinton, the results showed.The AALDEF poll showed that Obama did best among young Asian-American voters, garnering the support of 29 percent of 19- to 29-year-old voters. Clinton, however, carried the majority in all age groups, according to the exit polls. Though the voters polled were mainly Democrats, 68 percent of Asian- American Republicans polled in New York City supported John McCain, followed by Mike Huckabee with 12 percent and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney each taking 8 percent. Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at Sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
