Amid Spike in Anti-Asian Violence, Democratic Voters Shun Asian-American Candidate in NYC Mayoral Primary

Party continues to block efforts to hold institutions accountable for anti-Asian bigotry

Andrew Stiles • June 23, 2021 10:45 am

Andrew Yang’s candidacy in the New York City mayoral primary offered Democratic voters a chance at racial redemption. Instead, they doubled down on hate.

Yang, a proud Asian American, ended his campaign on Tuesday. “I am not going to be mayor of New York City based on the numbers that have come in tonight,” he said.

Nominating an Asian-American candidate for NYC mayor would have sent a powerful message at a time when anti-Asian violence is on the rise in Democratic-controlled cities across the country, and Democrats have come under fire for refusing to hold institutions accountable for anti-Asian bigotry.

A victory for Yang might have helped mainstream journalists redeem themselves after their shameful efforts to erase Yang’s candidacy during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, when Yang accused MSNBC, among others, of “trying to suppress and minimize my campaign.”

Alas, mainstream coverage of Yang’s mayoral campaign was marred by a slew of questionable hit pieces. For example, he was denounced as an adherent of “bro culture” and accused of offending LGBT activists after describing them as “human and beautiful.”

Yang’s failure to win the support of Democrats in New York City reflects a broader trend within the party. In April, for example, Democratic lawmakers blocked legislation that would have discouraged universities from discriminating against Asian-American students.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, dropped a Justice Department lawsuit against Yale University for unlawful discrimination against Asian-American applicants. As hate crimes against Asian Americans have continued to rise, President Joe Biden has stocked his administration with graduates of Yale and other Ivy League universities that have long been accused of anti-Asian discrimination.

Yang’s defeat comes less than a week after the president’s crackhead son, Hunter Biden, was exposed for using an anti-Asian slur while texting his cousin about what type of model he wanted to date. Mainstream journalists declined to cover the First Son’s racist outburst, raising further questions about their alleged commitment to combating white supremacy.