The Democratic National Committee announced Monday they would be launching a six-figure multilingual radio ad campaign in Texas to reach Asian American-Pacific Islander voters.
The ads will run on Hindi/English, Telugu/Urdu, and Vietnamese radio in Houston and Dallas; Masala Radio, Geetanjali Radio, Viet Radio and KXYZ in Houston, and Radio Caravan in Dallas.
“We are in the midst of a global pandemic, an economic collapse, and a reckoning on civil rights,” states one of the ads set to air in Houston. “Desis in Texas have the power to elect those leaders who will represent all Americans.”
Harris County, where a majority of the ads will be placed, is home to the largest AAPI population in Texas, including more than 170,000 eligible AAPI voters.
The AAPI population throughout Texas grew by 46 percent between 2012 to 2018 and now represents a 5.5 percent share of the state’s electorate, according to APIA Vote. Democratic groups and campaigns alike have made an increased effort this cycle to try a reach those voters, especially in Fort Bend County, where AAPIs make up 20 percent of the county’s population.
“Democrats are meeting AAPI voters where they are and in the language they speak by making historic investments to ensure AAPIs in Texas and across the country have the information they need to make their plan to vote,” said DNC Chair Tom Perez in a prepared statement. “The stakes have never been higher — especially for AAPI communities — and we are committed to making sure voters have the tools to make their voices heard at the ballot box, and elect leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris who will fight to build a brighter future for AAPI families.”
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
