Indian-Americans throwing weight behind Kamala Harris

Associated Press: Atlanta As the US presidential election heads for a photo finish, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, has been counting on groundswell of support from the Indian-American community in most of the pivotal battleground states. For a sizable number of Indian Americans, Vice President Harris's race to the White House is a momentous occasion as it is propelling the community into a notable force in the American political discourse.

"It is a matter of pride that a leader of Indian descent is fighting the US presidential election," said Dr Vasudev Patel, general secretary of the Federation of Indian-American Association of Georgia. Georgia is one of the seven key battleground states and Patel says the Indian-American community could play a significant role in swinging the election in Harris's favour. "I voted for Trump last time. But this time, I am going to support Kamala Harris," said Saurabh Gupta, a technocrat who grew up in Delhi and is now a resident of Montgomery County in Maryland.

If Harris wins the race, then it will be the first time in US history that a candidate of Indian heritage would occupy the top office of the most powerful country on the planet. After Harris received the Democratic presidential nomination in August, various Indian-American and South Asian American groups have been engaged in mobilising support for her including raising funds. The number of Indian Americans residing in the US is around 5.2 million, forming the second-largest immigrant community, and out of them, around 2.3 million are eligible to vote. Around 55% of Indian American eligible voters identified as Democrats as against 26% as Republicans, according to a 2024 survey conducted by research organisation AAPI before President Joe Biden pulled out from the re-election bid.