Bent on reversing President Trump’s dismal performance with Asian-Americans, the Republican National Committee used the midterm election to build a vast network of volunteers it plans to activate in 2020 to drum up support within the diverse communities of this key voting bloc.

Republicans were hoping to showcase the person they thought would be Rep. Young Kim as Trump’s re-election campaign geared up. But Kim, a 56-year-old Korean-American woman considered among the party’s top 2018 recruits, lost her bid for California’s open 39th Congressional District in a blue tide that swept Democrats into the House majority. Kim’s defeat set Republicans back a bit in their effort to make inroads with Asian-American voters.