Addressing a crowd of Indian Americans this week, Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the importance of South Asians running for office, saying there is not nearly enough compared to the size of the group in the US.
Indian Americans are now the most populous “Asian-only” group in the country, surpassing Chinese Americans in September. This means that 4.4 million people identified themselves as “Indian Only” – or 100% Indian – in the 2020 US Census, marking a 55% increase over the course of a decade.
Despite this, there are only five Indian American members of Congress out of 535. Harris called this out in his remarks Wednesday at the nonprofit Indian American Impact’s annual “Desis Decide” summit in Washington, DC.
“Over the years, Indian Americans have participated so much more in the election process as it has unfolded,” Harris said. “But the numbers still do not reflect the size of the growing population.”
She encouraged the group to participate in any way they can and view the upcoming elections as essential to their lives. Sixty-eight percent of Indian Americans lean toward the Democratic Party, making them one of the most progressive Asian American groups.
Experts say Indian Americans are a demographic that cannot be ignored this election season as they have the potential to be the deciding voice in some of the regions where they are concentrated. But despite the vice president’s appeal to South Asians at the event, the community is looking to her as well as the president Joe Biden with a critical eye. Many have mixed feelings.
Biden’s presidential approval rating has fallen among AAPI communities, Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data, told NBC News last month. Among Indian-American voters, Biden has 43% support.
Harris’ approval rating among Indian voters fell from 62% in 2022 to 56% in 2023.
The progressive organization Hindus for Human Rights staged a walkout during Harris’ speech at the Desis Decide summit to protest the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war in Gaza.
“Our tradition of speaking out against injustice is part of a long and proud political movement, inspired by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. BR Ambedkar, who used their faith as a basis for social and political activism,” the group said in a press release. . “Just as they fought for the rights and dignity of all people, we too are fighting the ongoing genocide in Gaza and elsewhere.”
It’s an issue that matters this cycle to young South Asian voters, some of whom say they are wondering whether they should vote Democratic for the first time in their lives.
“Our strike was a direct expression of our conviction and pain on these issues. We believe it is our moral obligation to hold government officials accountable, regardless of platform,” Hindus for Human Rights said.
During her speech at the summit, Harris emphasized the importance of expressing desires for change at the ballot box.
“These elections that are six months away, I think, present us with a question,” she said. “What kind of world do we want to live in and what kind of country do we want to live in? And one of the ways we answer that question is by seeking office and participating in elections, knowing that the outcome of those elections matters in fundamental ways.”
Although Indian Americans still do not see themselves prominently represented in government, Harris assured them that change was coming; she mentioned herself as proof of that.
“You invariably end up in rooms where you are the only one who looks like you, the only one who has had your life experience,” she said. “You need to know that you are not alone. There is so much we still need to do as a country. And much of the work that we all do, which is why we’re here together, comes from a belief in the promise of America. And dare I say it, I am empirical proof of America’s promise.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
