ASPIRE PAC (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Rising and Empowering) is a Democratic Party-aligned political action committee that claims to be “the political arm of the Democratic Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Members of Congress” and supports Democratic U.S. Congressional candidates of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. ^{1 2}

Background

ASPIRE PAC was formed in 2011 by U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and according to its website it claims to function as “the political arm of the Democratic Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Members of Congress.”  ³

Activity

According to its website, ASPIRE PAC invests in local aligned organizations that engage in voter canvassing, mail, and digital outreach operations. ³

Endorsements

During the 2024 election cycle, ASPIRE PAC endorsed the campaigns of both Democratic Party candidates Kim Nguyen-Penaloza and U.S Rep. Derek Tran in their runs to represent California’s 45th U.S. Congressional district (with the latter winning the election in November 2024). ^{1 4} During the same cycle, ASPIRE PAC endorsed U.S Rep. Gil Cisneros in his run to represent California’s 31st U.S. Congressional district (whom won in the general election), Susheela Jayapal in her run to represent Oregon’s 3rd U.S. Congressional district (whom lost the Democratic primary), Tom Suozzi in his run to represent New York’s 3rd U.S. Congressional district, Even Low in his run to represent California’s 16th U.S. Congressional district (before losing in the general election), U.S Rep. Dave Min in his run to represent California’s 47th U.S. Congressional district (whom won in the general election), Jennifer Tran in her run to represent California’s 12th Congressional district (before losing the general election), and Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) in his run to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate before winning in November 2024. ¹ The group has also endorsed Lanon Baccam and Amish Shah in their campaigns for representing Iowa’s 3rd U.S. Congressional district and Arizona’s 1st U.S Congressional district respectfully for the 2026 midterm elections. ¹

Finances

During the 2024 election cycle, ASPIRE PAC began with $71,728 in cash on hand, raised a total of $1,835,317, spent a total of $1,823,903, and ended with $83,142 in cash on hand receipts. ⁵ During that cycle, the committee’s four highest expenditure recipients were the Frost Group, a fundraising firm; Sapphire Strategies, a Democratic Party-aligned digital public relations firm; NGP VAN, a Democratic-Party aligned campaign software firm; and Karis Consulting Group, a New York-based consultancy. ⁶

Leadership

Marilyn Strickland is the chair of ASPIRE PAC as well as a Democratic member of the U.S. Congress, representing Washington’s 10th district and serving on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure as well as the House Armed Services Committee. Previously, Strickland, who was born in Seoul, South Korea, served as Mayor of Tacoma, Washington, and as the president and chief executive officer of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Strickland is the co-chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, New Democrat Coalition, Pro-Choice Caucus, Democratic Women’s Caucus, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, and the Democratic Women’s Caucus. ⁷

Grace Meng is the immediate past chair of ASPIRE PAC and a Democratic member of the U.S Congress, representing New York’s 6th U.S. Congressional district and serving as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, vice chair of the latter’s Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, and member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, vice-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and New York Regional Representative on the Regional Leadership Council. Previously, Meng was a member of the New York State Assembly. ⁸

1. ARCHIVED: “2024 Candidates.” ASPIRE PAC. Archived March 24, 2024. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20240324015744/https://aspirepac.org/category/endorsements/
2. “About Us.” ASPIRE PAC, accessed May 29, 2025. https://aspirepac.org/about
3. “About Us.” ASPIRE PAC. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://aspirepac.org/about
4. “Derek Tran.” Ballotpedia, Accessed May 29, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Derek_Tran
5. PAC Profile: ASPIRE PAC. OpenSecrets. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/aspire-pac/C00506907/summary/2024
6. “ASPIRE PAC PAC: Expenditures.” OpenSecrets. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/aspire-pac/C00506907/expenditures/2024
7. “Rep. Marilyn Strickland.” ASPIRE PAC. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://aspirepac.org/2023/06/05/rep-marilyn-strickland/
8. “Rep. Grace Meng.” ASPIRE PAC. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://aspirepac.org/2023/05/31/rep-grace-meng/