Asian-American voters in Nevada supported Trump previously; this article explores their current sentiment towards him.

Rebellious Red Tide: Asian Americans in Nevada Swing for the GOP

Meet Pauline Lee, the daughter of hardworking immigrants who arrived in the United States with nothing but hope in their pockets. Her parents struggled, taking up low-paying jobs, but they eventually managed to study and build successful careers in California. And Pauline couldn't be prouder of their journey - the journey that was legal.

Illegal immigration? Not on her radar. Pauline believes it's a significant issue because it deprives resources from American citizens - a problem she truly believes in. "It's a real issue," she declares.

Now a retired attorney, Pauline is an active figure in the Republican political scene of Nevada. In the last election, around six out of every ten Asian Americans in the state backed President Trump over the democratic nominee, a huge shift from four years ago when the majority voted for Biden.

Trump's first hundred days in office were marked by a crackdown on immigration and the abolition of diversity programs in higher education and the federal government. These moves followed an election where Trump extended his appeal among nonwhite voters, including those directly impacted by these policies.

Over lunch with her Asian American friends, they admire Trump's rejection of diversity initiatives, commonly known as DEI. "I'm going to tell you right now, I'm resentful as a parent that my kids have to do more to get into certain colleges," Pauline shares candidly.

Back in the day, Pauline's counselors steered her kids away from the Ivy League, warning them about the fierce competition from other high-performing Asian students. Las Vegas City Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske has heard similar complaints.

Allen-Palenske, a former Republican state legislator, attributes the shift in Asian American voting patterns to economic issues. "Gas prices, inflation, the ability to buy a home - particularly here in Southern Nevada - has changed over the last fifteen years," she explains. "Las Vegas used to be an excellent place to purchase a home for $200,000. Now, that's a dream."

James Zarsadiaz, a historian at the University of San Francisco, has observed economic concerns driving this shift. "There's a strong working-class and lower middle-class community of Asian Americans in Nevada, many of them working in hospitality and the gaming industry," he notes. "And so I think they're feeling the pinch more right at the grocery store, at the gas pump."

Rachel Puaina, a local teacher, whose husband and children are union workers, appreciates Trump's economic policies. "Is this what you voted for? Yes, that's what we voted for," she states unapologetically. Tariffs? She's been advocating for them for over 20 years. Frankly, she acknowledges their impact on the stock market, but she believes Americans should buckle up and give Trump's policies a chance to work.

Puaina, whose parents immigrated from the Philippines, also backs Trump's immigration policies, including his push for rethinking birthright citizenship. "I think we have to have stricter restrictions on it," she asserts.

Schayden Gorai, a field representative for the conservative group Turning Point Action in Las Vegas, identifies as Asian American, and he believes many in the local Asian community align with Trump's views. "A lot of them are immigrants from other countries, and they did it the right way. They went through the process themselves, and they just want to be treated fairly," Gorai suggests.

Zarsadiaz reveals that for some Asian Americans with a recent immigration background, Trump's rhetoric resonates with them. "They don't see immigration as a racial issue. They see it as a fairness issue or a matter of law and order," he explains.

But Trump's deportation policy has sparked fear in some Asian Americans. A woman named May, a naturalized citizen born in the Philippines, expresses anxiety about Trump's efforts to do away with birthright citizenship. "I'm like, will I be next?" she questions anxiously. May keeps her last name a secret out of concern for a family member seeking citizenship.

This shift in voting patterns among Asian Americans in Nevada mirrors a larger trend happening nationwide. In the 2024 election, Asian American voters moved towards Trump by around six points compared to 2020. While it's uncertain whether Trump can maintain this support, a recent poll shows only 4 out of every ten Asian Americans approve of Trump's job performance so far, indicating a more complex picture of their political views.

Pauline Lee, daughter of immigrants who legally came to the United States, is an active figure in Nevada's Republican political scene.
In the last election, around six out of every ten Asian Americans in Nevada backed President Trump over the democratic nominee, a significant shift from four years ago.
Trump's first hundred days in office included a crackdown on immigration and the abolition of diversity programs in higher education and the federal government.
Rachel Puaina, a local teacher, appreciates Trump's economic policies, including his immigration policies, and supports his push for rethinking birthright citizenship.
Schayden Gorai, a field representative for the conservative group Turning Point Action in Las Vegas, identifies as Asian American and believes many in the local Asian community support Trump's views.
James Zarsadiaz, a historian at the University of San Francisco, notes that for some Asian Americans with a recent immigration background, Trump's rhetoric resonates with them, viewing immigration as a fairness issue or a matter of law and order.
However, Trump's deportation policy has sparked fear in some Asian Americans, as a woman named May, a naturalized citizen born in the Philippines, questions if she will be next due to his efforts to do away with birthright citizenship. This mirrors a larger trend among Asian Americans nationwide, with some simultaneously supporting Trump's policies on economy, immigration, and law and order, while expressing anxiety about certain policies, especially regarding immigration.