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"This is the most important election of our times!"
Every election year, we perceive these words, which is to some level, it is understandable. The high-stakes nature our elections naturally produces intensified emotions and frayed nerves, impassioned hopes of victory and doomsday predictions of the consequences of losing.
But for Indian-Americans, this genuinely is the most crucial election of our time period.
A record number of Indian-American candidates ran for federal, state, or local office this year. And after an extremely competitive primary election season, this Election Day, more than 50 Indian-Americans will be on the vote from coast to coast. That set includes a record number of candidates seeking to spread out, perhaps even double, our ranks in Congress, as well as candidates seeking to become the first Indian-Americans ever elected in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, and Kentucky, and to the state legislatures of Arizona, Illinois, New York, and Texas.
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Just by running, these candidates have motivated hundreds of ambitious public servants to reckon running for office themselves. And if elected, they will carry our voices and experiences to the halls of power - where too oftentimes, we are unrepresented.
But this election is not just about our candidates; it is about what is at stake for our community.
Since the 2016 election, the Indian-American community as well as the broader South Asian community and Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims have seen rising racism, xenophobia, and hate violence from Kent, WA to Kansas.
According to South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), there was a 45 percent increase in hate violence against our communities between Election Day 2016 and Election Day 2017.
That kind of hateful sentiment has also infiltrated our politics. In New Jersey, two radio hosts referred to the state attorney general Gurbir Grewal, the first Sikh attorney general in American history, as "turban man." And in heatedly contested Congressional campaigns, candidates like Aftab Pureval and Sri Kulkarni have been subjected to thinly veiled racist and xenophobic attacks by their opponents' campaigns.
Additionally, Indian-Americans are particularly vulnerable to a recently announced rule change by the Trump Administration to revoke work authorization for spouses of H1-B visa holders, putting at peril galore Indian-Americans, largely women, and their families.
With so much at stake, the question is: will we actually show up?
There is a reason to believe we will. Just in the earlier this year, new grassroots efforts focused on harnessing the desi vote and encouraging our candidates have sprung up in Detroit, Atlanta, and Seattle. And for the initial case, campaigns like Ram Villivalam's state senate race in Illinois and Sri Kulkarni's congressional race in Texas are targeting Indian-American voters in an important and organized way.
In addition, a recent poll of Asian American voters reveals three interesting trends. First, that 90 percent of Indian-Americans plan to vote this November. Second, that among Asian Americans, Indian-Americans are the keenest over voting this year than in past years. And third, that Indian-Americans are the most distressed about how divided America has turned.
If in point of fact, our community shows up at these levels, we can be the margin of success in key Congressional races in Detroit (MI-11), Houston (TX-22), Northern Virginia (VA-10), and Atlanta (GA-06) all districts with a momentous Indian-American population, not to mention a handful of down-ballot races.
If Indian-Americans want to be taken solemnly as candidates, voters, donors, and advocates, we have to turn up every election, not just in Presidential years. If we do, notwithstanding our relatively small numbers, we can have a large impact on politics, policy, and the future of America.
-Sowmya Sangam
