Pinoys push for a republican president in 2016

ANAHIEM, Calif. – A grand old party just blocks away from Disneyland – the California Republican Party held its convention in Anaheim over the weekend and The Filipino American Republicans of Los Angeles County (FARLAC) made their presence felt.

“I think it’s great to see Filipinos get involved here with the Republican Party,” said RNC Asian Pacific Press Secretary Ninio Fetalvo. “Since 2013 the Republican National Committee and republicans have been focused on engaging and having a strong presence in the Filipino community nationwide.”

“It’s always exciting,” said former FARLAC President Van Dichoso. “I like to represent the Filipino people who are quiet out there, but there is an alternative party which is the Republican Party.”

The convention tackles many issues from elections to taxes to Obama care and civic engagement.

It’s a chance for nominees to push their campaigns from local to state and even presidential. Of the 15 republican contenders only Governor Mike Huckabee attended personally but several others also had a presence. Filipino republicans have been keeping close watch on the race.

“Right now it’s in flux,” said Mel Alfarero, FARLAC founder. “It’s not settled down. Who’s going to be our candidate but I bet there will be one and I assure you will have a candidate.”

But more important for Filipino republicans it’s about voter and party registration.

The Asian American vote has been a target for the Republican Party in the 2012 presidential elections. Barack Obama had won 73 percent of the Asian vote.

But the numbers have improved in 2014. The GOP had gotten 41 percent of the Asian vote during the midterms.

“People that come here is understanding the value of us, Filipinos because some of them are politicians,” said Cecilia Ramos of FARLAC. “Some of them had visited the Philippines so they connect with us. They understand who we are and our voting power.”

Local Filipino republican leaders plan on teaming up with other Asian American republican groups to help register more Asian American voters and raise community issues.

“For every election, we have a phone bank and then we do voter registration and some events to campaign for our candidate,” said Ramos.

The California Democratic Party held their convention last spring and has smaller quarterly conventions year round. Both sides are gearing up for the big 2016 presidential race.

2016 marks 20 years since the last time a republican presidential candidate won the Asian vote and now with a growing Asian American population Filipino republicans will now spend the next year trying to convince those potential votes to join their grand old party.