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It seems the power of incumbency really does matter. In an interesting report from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, it seems Asian American voters went overwhelming for the current mayor, Thomas Menino, over challenger and City Councilor Sam Yoon. Menino was able to carry 71% of the Asian American vote, even higher than his 51% of the general population.
In his third place run for Mayor of Boston in Tuesday’s preliminary election, City Councilor Sam Yoon carried several precincts in traditionally progressive areas of Boston, but it was Mayor Menino who carried every precinct with the largest concentration of Asian American voters.
Though that much can be confirmed by a look at unofficial returns, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund dug a little deeper in its exit polling. The survey found Menino was favored by a clear majority of Asian American voters—71%, followed by Yoon at 22% and Michael Flaherty at 6 percent. But the poll also found the voters’ preference also depended on age. Among younger Asian American voters, the winner was Yoon, at 46%, with Menino at 31 percent.
Short of confirmation by exit poll, it stands to reason that age might also help explain why Yoon was the top voter-getter in parts of Jamaica Plain, Allston and the Back Bay.
Among candidates for City Councilor at Large, the leader was another Asian American from Dorchester, Hiep Quoc Nguyen, with 39%. The next highest levels of support were for Félix G. Arroyo (30%), and for Tomás González and Tito Jackson—each with 25 percent.
Voters were asked to list the main issues affecting their choice of candidates. The largest number listed health care (49%), followed by economy/jobs (37%), housing/development policies (26%), senior care (24%), education (23%) and public safety (19%).
The Fund says there were “few problems” with the voting process, though it notes many Asian Americans needed bilingual ballots.
In another article, the Boston Globe asks about Yoon's future.
Now, Yoon is a lame-duck city councilor who will surrender his office in January, the week before he turns 40. The man who once toured the country as one of the next big things in politics will be looking for a job, with no immediate promise of another prominent perch in public life.
Let's hope that Yoon finds something that keeps him in the public eye.
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I am an Asian-American, a Boston resident, and a Sam Yoon supporter. I am quite appalled, and quite frankly embarrassed, that so many Asian-Americans voted for Menino instead of Yoon. One of the biggest problems for the Asian-American community is the lack of political involvement, and as a result, the lack of Asian-American political leaders. Hence, we are often disregarded as community by the political system. Then here comes Sam, a highly educated, passionate, and thoughtful activist, who's been advocating for the Asian-American community since the beginning of his career, and the community votes 71% in favor of Menino? Shame on us.
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