Kannan Udayarajan, 42, of Forsyth County, Georgia, sends his children to a local public school with a majority Indian American population. The area, which was mostly white 20 years ago, has since become crowded with people from South Asia.
An Indian supermarket, a Hindu temple, and a cricket field are adjacent to a country club and car dealership. Some schools also offer hot Indian lunches.
This growing influence is worrying major campaigns and super PACs not only in Georgia but also in other battleground states where winning the South Asian vote could clinch the presidency. There is.
Their population has soared since the last presidential election, and they could swing elections in states like Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania. New immigrants who have not previously voted in presidential elections could have a significant impact on the outcome.
“We are primarily spending our energy in two places: Michigan and Georgia,” said Shekhar Narasimhan, chairman of the AAPI Victory Fund, a political action committee dedicated to mobilizing Asian American voters. . “We’ve been telling our community that it’s very important to participate in the American system. You have responsibilities. You have rights.”
From bustling urban centers to the Bible Belt, the impact of the burgeoning South Asian American population is being felt in communities across the country. In Georgia, for example, the Indian American population has doubled since 2010. Today, the Indian American population fills entire neighborhoods, schools, and schools. The caucus marked a historic first for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential nomination.
That energy is reflected throughout the South Asian American electorate.
There are nearly 400,000 voters of Indian, Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Nepalese and Bhutanese ancestry in the 10 most contested swing states. In some of them, South Asian voters exceeded the margin of victory in the last presidential election.
Chintan Patel, executive director of voter engagement group Indian American Impact, said, “The South Asian community can and will continue to play an important role in determining this election.” he said.
Among Indian Americans alone, 235,000 voters have become naturalized in the past four years. This means they will be able to vote in the presidential election for the first time in November. And as of the 2020 Census, Indian Americans have surpassed Chinese Americans to become the largest single Asian group in the United States. This means that the size and influence of the 4.4 million people in the United States who identify as 100% Indian is rapidly growing.
Experts say politics is one of the biggest arenas in which it plays out.
Harris effect
Community participation has continued to grow for decades.
2016, 2018, and 2020 all saw record turnout among Asian Americans, including South Asians.
In the past two presidential elections, Indian-American turnout was the highest of any Asian-American group and on par with white turnout, according to AAPI data. In 2020, 71% of eligible Indian Americans voted, an increase of 9% from 2016.
Community leaders expect this trend to continue this November.
“Having Harris on the ballot will increase turnout even more,” said Karthik Ramakrishnan, co-founder of AAPI Data. “Research shows that having people of your own race or ethnicity makes a difference in turnout. Basically, it’s about inspiring people who might not normally be persuaded to participate. is.”
Udayarajan of Forsyth County, Georgia, said the increase in terrestrial energy is clear.
“This is part of an evolution in the political engagement of Asian American and South Asian communities that has accelerated since 2020,” said Udayarajan, who became a naturalized citizen in 2018 and currently chairs the Forsyth County Democratic Party. I’m thinking about it,” he said. “The nomination of Kamala Harris as a candidate is definitely having an impact, as we are seeing crowds swell at local rallies and excitement across the board.”
Harris’ campaign says it is reaching out to South Asian voters across the community.
“Team Harris Waltz is working closely with the Harris Waltz affinity group, South Asians, and has made significant investments in staffing, paid media, and language resources to combat disinformation in South Asian communities. “We will create culturally specific voter direct contact efforts and hold events that reach South Asian American voters in all battleground states,” said spokesperson Andrew Penn.
Indian Americans are already leaning left, with 68% saying they identify most with the Democratic Party, according to 2023 data from the Pew Research Center. Harris’ candidacy and background as a South Asian American raise the bar even higher. Many say they’re excited to vote for her, but some are hesitant.
Voters in South Asian battleground states told NBC News that health care, Gaza, inflation and racism are some of the issues motivating them to vote this year.
Issues driving South Asian Americans
Indian Americans are the fastest growing immigrant group in the United States after Mexicans, and in some states are the highest-paid people, including technology, health care, and business professionals. It has become part of.
Anju Sauni, a 64-year-old physician from Michigan, said medical and reproductive rights are what motivated her to vote for Harris.
“I am a pediatrician who works with young people, both male and female, so my focus is on reproductive rights, and I am completely devastated by the path this country is taking,” she said, adding that she now works with young people and He added that he takes time during interviews. Adults ask them to vote.
Michigan is one of only five states with a South Asian Democrat, Rep. Shri Thanedar, and Sauni said he is open to having someone of South Asian descent in the White House.
In the 2020 election, President Joe Biden won Georgia by just 11,779 votes. There are currently more than 82,000 South Asian voters in the state. Local voters say they’ve seen a real increase in community excitement since Harris replaced Biden in the lead.
Many Bangladeshi voters, the state’s small South Asian community, are also turning to Harris. During the Trump administration, Tanzina Islam, 42, said she felt the impact of policies such as the Muslim ban on her friends and family.
“One person couldn’t get the surgery because he couldn’t bring his mother with him,” Islam said. “My mom was on her way home during the 2020 election when people threatened her, saying, ‘If Trump doesn’t win, we’re going to come after you.'”
Trump campaign advisers countered that the former president had caused some damage to the Asian community.
“There is no greater champion of the AAPI community than President Trump. He created an environment of diversity, equal opportunity, and prosperity for all,” said Stephen Chan, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign. “Anyone who says otherwise is playing political games by exploiting the AAPI community for their own benefit.”
Her biggest worry now is Israel’s war in Gaza and the rising death toll. She feels Harris can do more than Trump, but thinks she needs to take a stronger stance to win over hesitant South Asian voters.
Ramakrishnan said Indian Americans have established themselves as a strong base in the state and in swing states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, where they are growing in numbers and consistently polling. He is said to be participating.
“South Asian voters and Indian Americans in particular are among the fastest growing segments of the electorate,” he said. “They are also more likely to spread across the country than other Asian groups, meaning they tend to be more numerous and present in battleground states.”
South Asian organizers across the United States said they have been flooded with calls and emails from voters eager to participate in any way they can.
“We’re getting more calls from people who have never donated or been involved in politics before, and our team is getting more calls,” Narasimhan said.
Democratic strategist J.J. Abbott said both campaigns consider Pennsylvania a critical state for winning the election and one of the “toughest” battleground states for Harris.
One Republican voter in Pennsylvania said he, too, is feeling an uptick in energy in his community, but on the other side of it.
Yagnesh Chokshi, 70, said, “I have no sympathy for Mr. Kamala because he has done nothing for the country.” “We should vote for a president who is more conservative, who lowers taxes, and who is committed to developing the country. Which of both politicians is doing more? Who loves this country more? Is there? That’s why Trump is better than Kamala.
The changing political landscape of South Asian Americans
Even though Indian Americans make up less than 2% of the U.S. population, they have already made their mark on American politics. Apart from Harris, the first South Asian to lead a major political party, other Indian Americans contested the presidential position in this election.
Experts say this is a fundamental picture of the deep-rooted investment and energy building within the community. On a local scale, experts say more South Asian Americans are running for office than ever before. The number of people volunteering and voting is increasing.
And as more people become naturalized, that power continues to grow.
Threats to civil rights and safety have always been a driving force for immigrant communities to vote. As an example, Ramakrishnan cited the surge in Asian American voter turnout after widespread racist speech and behavior during the pandemic, which prompted the rise of the “Stop AAPI Hate” movement.
With Harris now on the ballot, the November vote may test whether identity and connection are equally powerful drivers.
“What’s interesting about this election is not just threat as a motive, but the potential inspiration as a motive,” he said.
