Indian

PTIIndian-Americans are strategically supporting candidates sympathetic to their community ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.Indian-Americans are looking beyond winning elected office themselves to backing candidates they believe are sympathetic to their community's interests, as they seek a greater voice in US politics ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.The outgoing US House of Representatives has six members of Indian origin, but that number could fall to four after Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Shri Thanedar of Michigan failed to win their respective Democratic primaries.Also Read: Trump warns Iran may ‘do a little bit extra’ before US midterms, says conflict could end ‘really quick’Four Indian-American members of the House — Ro Khanna of California's 17th district, Pramila Jayapal of Washington's 7th district, Ami Bera of California's 3rd district and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia's 10th district — are seeking re-election.The midterm elections, held halfway through a US president's four-year term, will determine all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about one-third of the 100 seats in the Senate. Voters will also elect governors, state legislators and local representatives in several parts of the country. The outcome will determine which party controls Congress and shape President Donald Trump's ability to advance his legislative agenda.Several other candidates of Indian origin are also in the race. Amish Shah, an emergency medicine physician, is the Democratic nominee in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, while Pia Dandiya is contesting from Florida's 22nd district.Krishnamoorthi, a five-term congressman, had hoped to become the first Hindu US senator from Illinois but lost the Democratic primary in March to fellow Democrat Juliana Stratton.Thanedar, meanwhile, lost the Democratic primary in Michigan's 13th Congressional District to Donavan McKinney, who was backed by the Democratic Socialist Alliance, a group that has gained influence within the Democratic Party.In the Republican camp, biotech entrepreneur-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy is contesting the Ohio governor's race against Democratic nominee Amy Acton. Although endorsed by Trump, Ramaswamy's campaign is facing headwinds, according to the report.For some community organisations, political representation extends beyond candidates of Indian origin to include politicians seen as supportive of Indian-Americans and Hindus.“It is not enough to support Indian-Americans in the elections. We also need to support those sympathetic to the Indian diaspora and Hindus,” Romesh Japra, a California-based cardiologist who founded the Americans4Hindus Political Action Committee (PAC), told PTI.Also Read: US midterms: 435 House seats, 35 Senate races and $12 billion in spendingJapra said the PAC is backing Democratic candidates James Walkinshaw from Virginia's 11th district, Suzan DelBene from Washington's 1st district, Pia Dandiya from Florida's 22nd district and Gregory Meeks from New York's 5th district.The organisation has also extended support to Republican candidates Jenny Rae Le Roux, contesting California's 47th Congressional District, and incumbent US Senator James Risch.Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a former White House adviser during Joe Biden's presidency, said Indian-American candidates needed to connect with a broader electorate rather than focus primarily on diaspora concerns.“My advice to Indian-American candidates is that they should look at issues beyond the diaspora and focus on the aspirations of the Congressional districts they seek to represent,” Bhutoria said.The Indian-American community has a significant presence in states including California, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Washington, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Georgia. In closely contested states, even a small shift in voter support could prove consequential.“In battleground states such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina, even one or two per cent vote matters to swing an election in favour of a particular candidate,” Japra said.The contest for statewide office also features candidates of Indian origin. Republican Sarita Komatireddy is challenging Democratic incumbent Letitia James for New York attorney general. Although New York is considered a Democratic stronghold, Komatireddy, who has Trump's endorsement, made her mark in a pre-election debate with James.In Maryland, Hyderabad-born Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller is seeking re-election. Meanwhile, Kerala-born Democrat Nithya Raman is contesting the Los Angeles mayoral race against incumbent Karen Bass, her former mentor.Japra argued that greater participation in elected office was essential for the community to influence public decisions.“The American Hindu community has a sizeable presence in the US. We have to have a seat at the decision-making table, or else we will end up being on the menu,” he said, emphasising the importance of representation at every level, from school boards to the US Senate.Community leaders also pointed to divisions within the diaspora as an obstacle to increasing representation. Multiple Indian-American candidates have sometimes contested the same election, splitting support and allowing a candidate from another community to win.“There have been instances of multiple Indian-Americans contesting elections against each other, which has resulted in the victory of a candidate from a numerically weaker community,” a diaspora leader said, calling for greater unity to sustain the community's political influence.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onmidterm elections 2023candidates of Indian originHindu representation in US politicscommunity support for candidatesbattleground states electionsdiversity in US Congress (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onmidterm elections 2023candidates of Indian originHindu representation in US politicscommunity support for candidatesbattleground states electionsdiversity in US Congress