San Francisco mayoral hopefuls court Asian American voters

As San Francisco’s mayoral race heats up, candidates are making a concerted effort to win the support of Asian American voters, a key demographic that could decide the election. On Thursday, five major rivals — none of whom is East Asian — presented their plans at a Chinatown town hall that featured live Cantonese interpretation.

What happened: Around 250 community members reportedly attended the town hall hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander Council at the Hilton across from Portsmouth Square. Candidates included incumbent Mayor London Breed, former Mayor Mark Farrell, nonprofit founder Daniel Lurie, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Supervisor Ahsha Safai. The mayoral hopefuls highlighted the importance of representation and discussed critical issues affecting the community, including public safety, housing, poverty and food insecurity. Farrell, for one, criticized Breed’s administration on public safety, saying it is “unfortunately the number one issue in San Francisco right now” and called for a new chief and funding for the police department. On supporting low-income families, Safai — an Iranian American immigrant representing a majority Asian American district — cited his efforts in helping build more affordable housing and establishing Free City College, which allows the public to take classes at City College of San Francisco for free.
Why this matters: The town hall underscores the increasing importance of the Asian American community in San Francisco, especially given their pivotal role in past elections. A recent KRON4/Emerson College poll shows a tight race that could hinge on undecided voters. Peskin, who has represented Chinatown for 17 years and is currently backing three Asian American candidates for the Board of Supervisors, said “Asian American representation is essential in a city where their voices must be amplified.” Meanwhile, Lurie said the community “has been underinvested in for far too long, and that changes on Day 1 with my administration.” Breed, who recently regained some support among Asian Americans after low approval ratings, lauded all candidates for supporting Proposition B, a public health bond that aims to restore infrastructure and improve services for residents. “Even though we have a disagreement in the mayor’s race, we are all united behind Proposition B as a way to move our city forward for our economic recovery, for the health and the safety and the wellness of the people of San Francisco,” she said.

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