Indian-American voters lean toward Democrats in upcoming US midterms

The upcoming United States midterm elections serve as an early test for the Republican government led by President Donald Trump, with data suggesting Democrats could make major gains. ## Voter Numbers And Trends The 5.2 million-strong Indian diaspora in the US is set to impact the polls. A new national survey shows that Indian voters strongly back Democratic candidates. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the US has around 5.2 million Indian-Americans. Out of this total, 3.9 million are 18 or older, and about 2.6 million are eligible voters. While the diaspora forms a small fraction of the total electorate, high attention goes to the community due to fast growth and high socioeconomic status. Recent AAPI data shows 66 per cent of Indian American voters support Democrats in the Senate race. Top voter concerns include the cost of living, inflation, jobs, unemployment, Social Security, and Medicare.

Congressional Candidates

The outgoing US House of Representatives has six members from the Indian subcontinent. That number may drop to four because Shri Thanedar from Michigan and Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois lost their primaries, as reported by PTI. Indian-American candidates running for re-election include Pramila Jayapal in Washington-7, Ami Bera in California-3, Ro Khanna in California-17, and Suhas Subramanyam in Virginia-10. The Indian-American community holds a strong presence in states like New Jersey, New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Washington.

Context

Midterm elections happen halfway through a president's four-year term to choose members of Congress and local leaders. In close battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan, a small percentage of votes can swing the final result.