{"id":59706,"date":"2023-08-30T15:18:15","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T22:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=59706"},"modified":"2023-08-30T15:18:15","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T22:18:15","slug":"indian-american-republicans-sticking-with-trump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=59706","title":{"rendered":"Indian American Republicans Sticking with Trump"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By<\/span>Sunita Sohrabji<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cNikki Haley represents experience, competence, and calm in the face of chaos. But that\u2019s not where Republicans are now.\u201d \u2014 Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and co-director of AAPI Data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shalabh ‘Shalli’ Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition, with former President Donald Trump. (file photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Indian American Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley was the lone woman on the stage during last week\u2019s Republican debate. The New York Times dubbed her \u201cthe shining star of the evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

The former South Carolina governor \u2014 who also served as the US Ambassador to the United Nations for two years during the Trump Administration \u2014 offered a composed, well-informed, authoritative presence Aug. 24. Many news sites declared her the winner of the first Republican debate.<\/p>\n

Her Indian American rival, Vivek Ramaswamy, was also a strong presence, garnering the most speaking time as he brashly squared off against his seven opponents. The 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur was the tacitly-chosen punching bag for his seven debate stage rivals. He appears third in most polling, closely behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former President Donald Trump, who leads the race by a wide margin.<\/p>\n

Identity Politics<\/h2>\n

But despite the strong showings by Haley and Ramaswamy, Indian American Republicans will eschew identity politics and vote for Trump, predicted several political pundits.<\/p>\n

Through much of the 1980s and early 1990s, Indian Americans \u2014 at that time, newer immigrants trying to get a foothold in their chosen land \u2014 mostly voted Republican, believing the party championed their values of strong family structure, good work ethic, and support for small businesses. But in recent years, voting patterns for the community have shifted. According to\u00a0AAPI Data<\/u><\/a>, 48% of Indian Americans are registered Democrats, 22% are Republicans, and 30% identify as neither. About 15% of Indian Americans voted for Trump in 2016; AAPI Data had no numbers for 2020.<\/p>\n

Who Has the Donor Dollars?<\/h2>\n

According to an EMS analysis of 2023 FEC reports, Haley emerged as the winner among Indian American donors. 28\u00a0desis<\/em>\u00a0gave Haley the maximum individual donor amount of $6600, either directly to her campaign or to her PAC \u2018Team Stand for America.\u2019 As of Q2 FEC reports, which were due at the end of July, Haley has raised almost $10.5 million, putting her in 7th<\/sup>\u00a0place for fundraising among all candidates.<\/p>\n

Ramaswamy has raised $19 million overall, including a $15 million loan he made to his campaign. His \u2018American Exceptionalism Super PAC\u2019 has raised $505,130 to date. He has collected roughly $3.5 million from individual contributors, but did not collect the maximum amount of $6600 from any Indian American donor. Pavan Kumar Cheruvu, CEO of Bitterroot Bio in San Jose, California, donated $25,000 through Ramaswamy\u2019s PAC.<\/p>\n

As of Q2 FEC reports, Trump had not gained much financial footing from the Indian American community. However, money is being raised through three PACS with no FEC reporting requirements: the Republican Hindu Coalition, Americans4Hindus, and Indian Americans for Trump. The former president has raised almost $36 million, while President Joe Biden has raised more than $31 million.<\/p>\n

Indian American Men<\/h2>\n

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and co-director of AAPI Data, told EMS that Ramaswamy and Haley both came out clearly ahead on the debate stage. \u201cBut it is unlikely to significantly impact voter preferences.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRamaswamy is the disruptor with big radical ideas.\u00a0Haley represents experience, competence, and calm in the face of chaos. But that\u2019s not where Republicans are now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf inflation remains stubbornly high, and crime continues to rise, it\u2019s going to be tough for President Biden.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ramakrishnan noted that Trump has gained some traction with Indian American men, but marginally. He does not see Indian American Democrats changing parties to vote for Haley or Ramaswamy. But Independents represent a large block of undecideds who can be won over by any of the candidates, he said.<\/p>\n

The Modi Factor<\/h2>\n

Trump has made his mark with the Indian American community, Shalabh \u2018Shalli\u2019 Kumar,\u2019 founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition, told Ethnic Media Services. In 2016, Kumar \u2014 the founder of AVG Electronics, who also serves as the national chair of the Hindu and Indian coalition in the Republican National Committee \u2014 and his wife donated just shy of $1 million to Trump\u2019s first bid for office. His son Vikram donated $163,000, according to his Federal Election Commission report.<\/p>\n

In 2020, the RHC raised over $4 million to support Trump\u2019s re-election bid.<\/p>\n

The politics of the home country definitely play a role in Indian American enthusiasm for Trump, said Kumar. In 2019, the sitting president appeared onstage in Houston, Texas with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at an event billed: \u201cHowdy Modi.\u201d<\/p>\n

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