USA (Commonwealth Union)_ Joe Biden’s announcement of his decision to run for re-election in 2024 has sparked a significant reaction, particularly among Indian-Americans, a small but potentially influential voting bloc in the US political landscape. In a three-minute video that began with footage of the United States Capitol attack, Biden cautioned that the United States still faces threats from the anti-democratic forces that were unleashed by his predecessor, whom he defeated in the 2020 election.
US Vice President Kamala Harris also took to Twitter and shared the video. She stated, “As Americans, we believe in freedom and liberty, and we believe that our democracy will only be as strong as our willingness to fight for it. That’s why @JoeBiden and I are running for reelection. Join us.” Harris, the first woman of Indian and African heritage to hold the vice presidency in the US, added her support to Biden’s campaign.
Biden, the Democratic president, will compete against the winner of the crowded Republican primary, which includes former President Donald Trump and several lesser-known conservatives, including Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, both of Indian heritage. Meanwhile, Ro Khanna, an Indian-American Congressman from California associated with the Samosa Caucus, expressed his support for Biden’s re-election bid, highlighting several accomplishments. He said, “750,000 new manufacturing jobs, two record-breaking years of job creation, and record low unemployment. I am supporting @JoeBiden for President in 2024 so we can continue the work of building our working and middle class”. The Samosa Caucus refers to an informal group of Indian-American lawmakers in the House of Representatives or the Senate.
According to a survey conducted by AAPI Data, APIAVote, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Indian American voters are predominantly Democratic, with 74 percent having voted for Biden in the 2020 presidential polls, surpassing voters of other Asian backgrounds. Kumar Barve, the first Indian-American elected to a US state legislature, affirmed his strong support for the Biden-Harris team, saying, “I strongly support the Biden-Harris team. A growing economy plus lower inflation should equal an easy victory for Biden. It’s always about the economy for presidential re-election”.
Indian Americans make up approximately 1 percent of the US population and constitute 82 percent of all eligible voters in the country. Though their numbers may not be significant nationwide, they can have a decisive impact in certain swing states. Further, speculation arose that President Trump’s close bonds with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi might draw many Indian American voters to the Republican Party. However, after Biden’s 2020 victory, data suggested the opposite, a trend that was also observed in 2016, when 77 percent of Indian American voters supported Hillary Clinton and 16 percent supported Trump.
Renowned Indian-American Ajay Jain Bhutoria expressed his belief that President Biden and Vice President Harris have played major roles in supporting millions of Americans during the pandemic. According to him, their vision for the future is inspiring, and that he is a proud supporter of their re-election campaign. Bhutoria has been a long-time supporter of Biden and a major fundraiser for his campaign. He said, “President Biden and Vice President Harris have the experience, vision, and values that are needed to continue to move our country forward, and I am proud to support their re-election campaign”.
President Biden’s second term has also raised concerns about his mental acuity and physical fitness. As the oldest president in US history, he would be inaugurated for a second term at the age of 82 and complete it at 86 if re-elected. Republicans are already seizing on every Biden gaffe and are poised to argue that he is no longer fit for the presidency. Kaivan Shroff, political commentator of Indian heritage and a proud Democrat, dismissed ageism concerns, highlighting that Mick Jagger, who is only nine months younger than Biden, toured at the age of 79. Shroff stated that Biden is both physically fit and fit to serve another term as president.
