How does the Indian diaspora feel about Kamala v Usha, and is the Desi legacy now a permanent fixture in American politics?
The latter advertisements contain spicy messages from the Harris and Trump campaigns in the US.
Less than a month since US President Joseph Biden withdrew from the presidential race – and we talked about the possibilities in WorldView on June 19, just two days before he withdrew his nomination – the US election race has changed dramatically.
The tables have turned for former President Donald Trump, with polls showing new Democratic pick Kamala Harris outperforming Trump in many national polls and leading in some key states, but still neck and neck. With the campaign now entering a crucial phase, what are some of the key factors to keep in mind as you follow the highly complex US presidential process?
Here are some dates to look out for:
August 19-22: Next week, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will formally nominate Harris-Walz. Biden will speak on the 19th and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton will all speak as well
September 10: Trump and Harris will have their first debate – remember, Harris was appointed vice president in 2020 and therefore hasn’t really had to debate since that year’s primaries – so it will be crucial to see how they do in this debate.
October 1: Walz-Vance debate
There will be another Harris-Trump debate in October
November 5: Election Day
Where are the polls today?
Real Clear Polling – showing that in three weeks Harris came from behind Trump – where Biden was, and since August 5 is ahead of Trump by about a percentage point – remember the margin of error is always about 3-5% so in reality these can easily be reversed. But the trend of the polls seems clear: more blue than red, more in favor of Harris than Trump
So how important is the Desi vote in the US? Are Indian-Americans a significant voting bloc?
-Indian Americans make up only 1.5% of the US population
-Yet they form a prominent community in public life
According to one list at the moment
There are six Indian Americans in Congress
– About 175 in the US Biden administration
– And about 100 others in various prominent positions in government, as governors, mayors and judges across the country
They are also among the most educated diaspora communities with the highest per capita income, meaning they are influential political donors
According to the Indiaspora group, which released a report this week, about 65% of Indian-Americans vote for Democrats, while the rest vote for Republicans. In 2020, it was 72% Democrat
Although both Kamala Harris and Trump’s vice presidential running mate, JD Vance’s wife Usha Vance, each have at least one Indian-born parent, they currently don’t put too much emphasis on their Indian-American heritage – for different reasons, but identity came took center stage last week
Trump’s comments caused an uproar and some resistance from biracial and African-American activists
Vance said he was targeted by Trump’s far-right supporters because he wasn’t white, but he loved her anyway
Although Harris hasn’t said much publicly about her Indian identity one way or another, this time she called herself the first Vice President of African American and South Asian descent in 2020. Remember, she hasn’t been on one so far has participated in an interview with a journalist or a press conference since announcing her campaign, so maybe that’s what you should pay attention to
WV Take: The fact that both the Democratic and Republican candidates have connections to the Indian diaspora says a lot about the prominence of the Indian American community, and especially the rise of Indian American women, which is an asset to the diaspora everywhere in the world, and it will be so. ensure that the Indian-American vote is more closely monitored in November. As we have said here before, having a diaspora leader in positions of power in any country is a matter of pride for Indians, but do not expect this to impact bilateral foreign relations that are more interest-based than personal identities.
WV book recommendations
Kamala Harris: Phenomenal Woman by Chidanand Rajghatta
Kamala Harris: The American Story That Began on the Coasts of India – by Kamala Harris and Hansa Makhijani
The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: A First Historical Assessment by Julian E. Zelizer
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
The Road to the White House 2024: The Politics of Presidential Elections by Stephen Wayne
What It Takes: The Road to the White House by Richard Ben Cramer
Script and presentation: Suhasini Haidar
Production: Gayatri Menon and Shibu Narayan
