US: South Asian voters show support for democrats amid racist remarks

At the receiving end of racist attacks South Asian voters are backing Democratic candidates in Texas including James Talarico for the US Senate ndash a key seat to wrest the upper house from RepublicansMore than 60 per cent of voters surveyed by the South Asian American Voter Empowerment of Texas Education Fund SAAVETX EF and the University of California San Diego said they would back Talarico for the US Senate over Republican Ken Paxton and Gina Hinojosa for Governor over incumbent Greg AbbottAmong registered voters 66 per cent preferred Talarico while 21 per cent preferred Paxton In the gubernatorial race 63 per cent preferred Gina Hinojosa while 27 per cent preferred AbbottAs many as 58 per cent respondents reported at least one experience of hate including online harassment threats of violence and damage to places of worship in Texas during the past year because of their race ethnicity religion nationality accent or immigration backgroundSixtyfour per cent respondents said they frequently or sometimes heard South Asians or immigrants described as invaders or outsiders in the past two yearsSeparately when asked about their 2024 presidential vote 65 per cent reported voting for Kamala Harris and 25 per cent for Donald TrumpSouth Asians account for 19 lakh of Texas 60 lakh population and IndianAmericans number 55 lakh the secondlargest presence after CaliforniaThe rising numbers of IndianAmericans in Texas have made them a target of racist attacks from MAGA supporters of President Trump which also became a campaign issue for the upcoming midterm electionsLast month Bo French the Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commissioners post triggered a political row when he described in a social media post South Asian students celebrating a Texas football game as a problemThe remarks were condemned by outgoing Texas Senator John Cornyn who was defeated in the Senate primary elections by Paxton a Trumpbacked candidateOur community is tired of being treated as outsiders and used as political pawns When elected officials and candidates fuel hostility people feel less safe and less confident in the institutions meant to protect them Chanda Parbhoo founder and executive director of SAAVETX EF said in a statementA 90foot statue of Lord Hanuman in Texas was in the spotlight of a political debate last month when a conservative YouTuber called for tearing this down drawing a sharp backlash from Hindu groups and thinkers alikeThe Statue of the Union installed at the Asthalaxmi Temple in Sugarland Texas has been at the centre of a controversy since its consecration in August 2024 with a section of Christian conservatives describing it as a demon God unchristian a false god and a character from the Planet of ApesThe survey reveals a community confronting exclusion but also highly civically engaged Tom K Wong founding director of the US Immigration Policy Center at UC San DiegoAccording to the survey 64 per cent of respondents said their communitys concerns were not well understood or not understood at all by elected officials and 54 per cent believe their community holds little to no political powerAs many as 62 per cent of respondents believe political rhetoric contributes a great deal or somewhat to hostility toward South AsiansThe survey found that 78 per cent respondents would be much or somewhat more likely to vote for a candidate who speaks out against discrimination toward South AsiansThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever