Voters of South Asian origin are backing a rising Democratic star, James Talarico, in his bid to win a Senate seat in Texas, one of the most staunchly Republican states in the November midterm elections, and the party’s gubernatorial nominee, Gina Hinojosa, amid rising complaints of anti-Indian sentiment in the United States (US), a survey has found.
As many as 63% of respondents preferred Hinojosa over incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who is backed by 27%, the survey by the non-profit South Asian American Voter Empowerment of Texas Education Fund (SAAVETX EF) and the University of California San Diego found. The survey found that as many as 65% of South Asian voters in Texas voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election compared to 25% for President Trump In the November 3 midterm election, the race between Talarico and his Republican opponent Ken Paxton is one of the closest in the country, which makes South Asian American support important. The South Asian support for Democratic candidates remains steady. A victory for Talarico will be a rebuke to Trump and his party. Texas is a crucial battleground state in the midterm election, which will determine control of the US Congress for the next two years. Republicans hold majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Trump’s public approval rating has neared a record low ahead of the polls amid the high cost of living and the Iran war. US Senator John Cornyn, a Republican, condemned the post as racist.
Republican US Representative Brandon Gill has said communities like Frisco have been “totally transformed” and that the US does not need to “import 7-Eleven workers from India”. Bo French, the party’s nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, sparked a major controversy in September by sharing a photo of University of Texas students, seemingly of South Asian descent, cheering at a football game as evidence of “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners”.
