Indian-American support for Trump shows signs of slipping

With just about a week left for the U.S. midterm elections, a new survey has found that U.S. President Donald Trump has lost a significant chunk of his support among South Asian American voters. Well, the survey provides a key insight into the likely voting patterns of Indian Americans who accounted for roughly 90% of the 800 voters polled. According to a poll by the civic organization Indian American Impact and conducted by Hit Strategies, Trump has lost a significant chunk of his support among South Asian American voters. 25% of those who voted for him in the 2024 presidential election are planning to vote for the Democratic Party in the November midterms. In addition to that, 60% of South Asians plan to support the Democratic Party as it battles to wrest control of the House of Representatives and the Senate from Trump's Republican Party. 90% of surveyed voters reported that they have faced discrimination or know someone who has, with almost half of them experiencing it personally. The key issues for South Asian American voters in the midterm polls include cost of living, health care, jobs and wages, as well as education. The South Asian American community's vote is crucial in battleground states like Michigan and Texas, where their participation could sway election outcomes. As seen in the 2022 and 2024 races, results of other polls have also confirmed the shift towards the Democratic Party among Indian American voters. A survey by AAPI data in August found that 66% of Indian Americans plan to vote for Democratic Party candidates in the House of Representatives and the Senate, with just 18% backing Republican candidates in elections to the former and 22% in elections for the latter. Well, these polls indicate a looming setback for President Trump after a strong showing among Indian Americans in the 2024 presidential election. For Indian Americans, the elections present opportunities both to retain existing representation and to win new positions at the federal, state and local levels. The elections will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are scheduled to be contested alongside gubernatorial, state, legislative and local elections. While one of the most prominent contests involving an Indian-origin candidate is the Ohio election, where Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is facing Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, is seeking to become Ohio's governor. Rokhana is seeking re-election in California's 17th district, which includes parts of Silicon Valley. He faces Republican Ritesh Kandan setting up a contest between two candidates of Indian origin representing opposing parties, while Democrat Pramila Jayapal is seeking another term from Washington's 7th district. Her Republican challenger is Nirav Seth, another Indian origin candidate. Democrat Amir Shah, an emergency medicine physician and former state legislator, is running for the U.S. House from Arizona's 1st district. He faces Republican Jay Feeley, a former professional football player. Amy Bera, a Democrat, is seeking re-election from California's 3rd District. She is among the Indian-American lawmakers defending their seats in the House during the midterms. Suhas Subramaniam, a Democrat representing Northern Virginia, is also seeking re-election. His race is part of the broader effort by Indian-American lawmakers to retain their representation in Congress.