Biden Campaign Press Release - ICYMI: More Than 100 Asian American Christians Announce Support for Joe Biden

Last week, more than 100 Asian American and Pacific Islander Christians signed on to a letter announcing their support of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for President and Vice President of the United States. In the open letter, the leaders praised Joe Biden's honesty, integrity, and civility, and noted their concerns about Donald Trump's inciting of racial violence and the Trump Administration's treatment of immigrants and people of color.

The leaders also state that the values they hold as people of faith are more aligned with the Biden-Harris agenda.

Read the letter here:

Broad Asian American (AAPI) Christian Support for Biden: Significant Number of Asian American Evangelicals Breaking for Biden

With the release of a sign-on letter that contains over 100 names of Asian American Pacific Islander Christians, there appears to be a swelling of support among Christians for the Biden/Harris ticket.

While the sign-on letter contains a broad swath of leaders from across the Christian traditions as well as a pan-Asian representation, an interesting trend emerges. Notably, the statements from Asian American Pacific Islander evangelicals signal a deviation from white evangelicals — one of President Trump's most consistent supporting groups.

Rev. James Cho, a pastor in Fullerton, CA summarizes it by saying, "Last election, I could not vote for either Clinton or Trump. My reason for not voting for Trump was my concern was xenophobic rhetoric that was coming from him. However, I was willing to suspend judgment when he was elected. This election, based on the decisions and continual negative rhetoric that has had very personal consequences, I've decided to vote Democrat for the first time in my life. I could not resolve supporting such a person as a Christian no matter the positive benefits to the church."

This sentiment is echoed by Rev. Dr. Elmo Familiaran, from Palmer Theological Seminary, "The last 4 years have seen an unprecedented assault on democratic norms and constitutional values of the United States, and corruption is now rife in all the major institutions of the government, root to branches. The ruling political party has proven to be a divisive presence in the body politic, pitting Americans against each other, and fomenting racial and class animus that has drawn the country away from the common good and a noble national identity. The country needs to heal very badly. It needs leadership that embodies the opposite qualities of all that afflicts it now. A Biden-Harris ticket will lead us away from our national and international affliction.

Christian leaders gave several reasons for their endorsement but prominent themes include concerns about Trump's inciting of racial violence, valuing the honesty, integrity, and civility of Biden, concerns about the treatment of immigrants and people of color. Many cited a concern about the state of democracy and civility. Others state that their faith values most align with the Biden/Harris ticket.

Nikki Toyama-Szeto, a Christian leader based in Arlington, VA, "My Christian faith tells me that all people are made in God's image, and I am appalled at how the current administration treats immigrants, refugees and people of color as disposable. Biden cares about people."

Alice Lor, of Saint Pail, MN states, "Even if I differ with Biden on certain issues, I am voting for him because Trump lacks the experience and integrity to lead. If you don't have a leader working with the people but instead working for his own self-interest, he should not be in public service."