Opinion | South Asians make lasting impact on American politics

On behalf of the Chapman South Asian Student Association

Juhi Doshi, freshman English major

Although Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group of voters compared to other races and ethnicities, their vote is often overlooked by politicians. This is in part due to Asian Americans’ historical alignment with the Democratic Party, showing up in high volumes of voter turnout and support for the party. 

This general election, we have seen South Asians mobilize through a variety of grassroots campaigns, and their increased engagement will inevitably impact the outcome. So far, in every battleground state – including Texas, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Arizona – Asian Americans have exceeded their 2016 turnout, according to Tom Bonier, the chief executive officer of TargetSmart. 

The historic vice presidential nomination of California Sen. Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman on a major party ticket, has generated excitement in the South Asian community. As the daughter of immigrants – her mother is from India and her father is from Jamaica – Harris’s multiracial background and immigrant story is one that resonates deeply with the South Asian community. 

At least one million Indian Americans are eligible voters this year, and as the second largest immigrant group after Mexicans, they are increasing in political power. In Texas, Asian American voters, which includes Indian Americans, have already exceeded their total 2016 turnout by 151% in Texas, 126% in Nevada and 141% in Georgia as of Nov. 5. 

A study conducted by the Indian American Attitudes Survey found that among Indian American voters, 72% plan to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and 22% for President Donald Trump. Additionally, South Asians had one of the highest voter turnout rates among Asians in 2016, voting overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton.

Many pigeonhole the Asian American community as only caring about issues pertaining to immigration or affirmative action. Yet, according to a survey conducted by AAPI Data, some of the top issues on Asian American voters’ minds are healthcare, education, the economy and gun control. This demonstrates that political concerns of the Asian American community reflect the interests of America as a whole. 

Grassroots movements such as South Asians for Biden, They See Blue and AAPIs for Biden have launched mass efforts to energize the South Asian community in this election. Aside from the presidential race, South Asians are running for office across the country. Of the 20 Asian Americans currently in Congress, only five are South Asian. However, at least 70 South Asian candidates are running for office, and many are spread out in local and state legislatures. Jenifer Rajkumar and Zohran Mamdani won their races for the New York state Assembly Nov. 3 by huge margins, making them the first South Asians elected to the lower house of the state legislature.

It is worth mentioning that even though most Asian Americans support Biden, the 2016 election was determined by fewer than 80,000 votes. Politicians need to increase their outreach efforts to the diverse populations within the South Asian community, because Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders hold political influence and deserve a say in our government. Every vote has the ability to decide the outcome of this election and deserves to be counted. 

Like every other group, the South Asian community is not a monolith. Our views vary, and we are not privy to one party. Regardless of political affiliations, South Asians are exceedingly growing in population and political engagement. As South Asian representation in public office continues to grow, we will continue to see our community’s issues brought to light.