A recent survey of Indian American voters has revealed that Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is projected to lose a portion of her party’s traditional support from the community in the upcoming 2024 United States election. Despite the potential for Harris to become the first Indian American president, the survey by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace indicates that she may receive fewer votes from the community compared to the incumbent President Joe Biden in 2020.
The survey found that an estimated 61 percent of Indian American respondents plan to vote for Harris, a decrease of nearly 4 percent from the last election. The Indian American community, which is the second-largest immigrant group in the US, with around 2.6 million eligible voters, has also seen a decline in their attachment to the Democratic Party, with only 47 percent of respondents identifying as Democrats, down from 56 percent in 2020.
The survey also noted a slight increase in support for the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, among the community. Both parties have been actively engaging with the Indian American community as its political influence continues to grow.
With the election just days away, pollsters suggest that the race is too close to call, with Harris’s national lead over Trump shrinking. In key battleground states, the two candidates are neck and neck, with the result possibly coming down to a few thousand votes.
The survey also highlighted a gender divide among Indian American voters, with women more likely to support Harris, particularly on issues such as reproductive rights. Younger voters, especially men, show a split in their preference between Harris and Trump.
The survey also indicated a shift in the community’s political identification, with fewer Indian Americans identifying as Democrats and more as independents. Experts attribute this shift, in part, to issues such as Israel’s conflict with Gaza, which has caused some disillusionment among young Indian Americans with the Democratic Party.
Overall, while Harris’s Indian heritage has not been a significant factor in garnering support from the community, her more liberal positions on various issues seem to resonate with a portion of Indian American voters. However, her identification with her African American roots, rather than her Indian background, has led to some disengagement from certain segments of the Indian American community.