For the first time ever, Indian Americans are playing prominent roles in the top of both the Democratic and Republican tickets in a presidential election, and that has the community energized.
Kamala Harris next month will officially become the first Indian American ever to run for president in the general election for a major political party while Usha Vance, wife of GOP Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, has resigned from a San Francisco law firm to assist her husband in his campaign.
“I’m very proud that Indian Americans are making it on every stage,” Shaker Narasimhan, chair and founder of AAPI Victory Fund, an Asian American Pacific Islander super PAC that has endorsed Harris, said to Voice of America. “This is just the opportunity of a lifetime…for us to show our muscles.”
According to Religious News Service, Vance has an opportunity to engage Hindu voters and to build on Trump’s overtures to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The former president appeared with Modi on stage together at a packed rally in Houston in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Vance’s wife, Usha, has talked openly about her Hindu faith.
Biden too has extended a warm hand to Modi, inviting him to a White House state dinner. 4,000 Indian American women mobilized on a Zoom call in support of Harris, reported the Guardian.
We are here! We have arrived!” Sikh activist Valerie Kaur proclaimed during that call last Wednesday.
Republicans say they too are fired up for this election.
“I think it’s just a proud moment to see our community actually being out there and being noticed,” Pandya-Patel said. “I think that is definitely getting our Indian community very excited.”
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