Asian-Americans could be about to swing a US presidential election for the first time. Given their traditional role as perennial bridesmaids in US politics, that might seem like a bold statement. But it is a fact not lost on either the campaign of Republican John McCain or, in particular, that of Democratic rival Barack Obama in what is already shaping up as an unusually important and historic election.
Conventional polling wisdom puts Senator Obama close to securing enough electoral college votes to win on November 4.
The well-funded and organised Obama machine is now making ground on Senator McCain in traditional Republican strongholds, as well as battleground states like Virginia, Ohio, Florida and New Hampshire. If any of these fall to Senator Obama, the first black American presidential nominee, it would be enough to give him the White House.
When you consider that the population of Asian-Americans in many of these states, including Virginia, Florida and Nevada, has more than doubled in the past two decades, it is clear they could have an impact in any tight races.
'I've been actively involved in every election since 1972 and, let me tell you, I have never seen anything quite like this,' said Robert Gee, a well-connected third-generation Chinese-American.
'I have never seen this level of enthusiasm to go after Asian-American voters ... this could have a real impact for the first time; it really is quite incredible.'
Mr Gee was an assistant energy secretary in the second Clinton administration and is a member of the Committee of 100, a non-partisan grouping of influential Chinese-Americans. He is campaigning for Senator Obama in Virginia. 'The Obama campaign has clearly learned something from the Republicans in recent elections,' Mr Gee said. 'It is no secret that Obama is microtargeting undecided voters ... with technology like e-mail and the internet and SMS, it is amazing what you can achieve with specific groups. It is enabling ethnic targeting and participation in a way you couldn't even imagine before.'