Republicans Risk Losing South Asian Voters Over Anti-Indian Rhetoric

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Across the US, people of South Asian descent say anti-Indian and anti-South Asian hostility that once seemed confined to corners of the internet is spilling into workplaces, campuses and everyday life. In addition to the temple attempt, a Sikh truck driver in Wyoming was beaten and stabbed at a rest stop, while a Montana man faces a felony charge for allegedly telling a person of South Asian descent to “go back to his country.” For immigrants working on H-1B visas, rapidly changing immigration policies have added another layer of concerns.

Indian Americans account for about 1% of the US population and are concentrated in key parts of several battleground states, including Texas, Michigan, Georgia and North Carolina, making them an important voting bloc. In the final days before the midterms, South Asian groups are organizing rallies and other events for Democratic candidates. Races in some areas are so tight that turnout from the Indian community may change the outcomes, rally organizers say.

Voters of South Asian descent have generally backed Democratic candidates, but in narrowing margins over recent years. Now, Democrats are jumping at the chance to have them back. Among South Asian registered voters, 25% of those who supported Trump in 2024 plan to back Democrats in Congressional midterm races, according to a national poll by Indian American Impact, a progressive nonprofit.

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In all, 92% of Indian Americans who are registered to vote plan to take part in the midterms, according to a recent poll by APIA Vote and AAPI Data. And 70% say racism, racial discrimination and hate crimes are “very” or “extremely” important to them, with most saying Democrats are doing a better job of addressing those issues than Republicans.

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