US President Joe Biden has announced the end of his re-election campaign amidst increasing calls from within his Democratic Party for him to step down. In a post on X, he stated that he will continue to serve as President until his term concludes in January 2025 and will address the nation later this week.
“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. While I initially intended to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to step aside and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.
With his decision to forgo re-election, President Biden has opened the path for Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the ticket, with his endorsement.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” he wrote in another post.
Will the desi diaspora cheer for Kamala?
Having entered the political scene in the US, the 59-year-old Vice President has brought her connection with India into the spotlight. Harris has received support from several prominent Indian-Americans since Biden’s endorsement.
Virginia State Senator Suhas Subramanyam called her "the right leader at the right time." Neil Makhija, Montgomery County Commissioner, announced plans to host fundraising events for Harris. Ashwin Ramaswami, candidate for Georgia State Senate, highlighted the significance of Harris’ candidacy for Indian-American and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation.
The Asian American Action Fund PAC also announced its full endorsement of Harris, with chair Albert Shen stating, “Kamala Harris has consistently demonstrated her dedication to the values we hold dear: equality, opportunity, and justice for all.” Prominent diaspora leader Rangaswami expressed pride in Harris’ candidacy, noting the increasing contributions of the Indian diaspora to American society.
Indian American Congressman Shri Thanedar praised Harris’ work as a senator and expressed confidence in her potential as president. He said, "I think Kamala Harris would be a great president. She is a tough lady. She has been a prosecutor. As a senator, she has done an outstanding job. And I look forward to working with Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States."
He added, "She is very strong on small business growth. So I look forward to working with Kamala Harris as a member of Congress. And I am proud that she could be our next President."
However, not all members of the Indian diaspora share this enthusiasm. Mitesh Thakkar, a businessman in the US, expressed scepticism. He said, “While it is great to see South Asians gaining representation at such a high level in the government, this might not necessarily lead to an easier immigration process for South Asians, as these leaders are not there to favour their countries of origin.”
He noted that the South Asian community predominantly leans towards the Republicans, especially with the possibility of Donald Trump becoming the next president. "Many view Trump as one of the best presidents in US history due to his strict policies and rule enforcement,” he said.
Mitesh’s son, Pratham Thakkar, a student, believes that minority representation could significantly impact the perception of South Asians among other communities in the United States. “People often view South Asians as technology or business-oriented, but this milestone could alter that perspective, highlighting their capability in positions of power,” he said.
Like his father, he also supports the idea of Trump as president, citing Harris’ perceived limited knowledge of running a country. He added, “Many think Trump might be able to help America out of the severe recession. Additionally, the next president after Trump could be Vivek Ramaswamy, who is of Indian origin and is perceived to have the perfect knowledge of how to run a country.”
In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, Harris had previously spoken about her mother’s love of good idli while addressing a virtual campaign event to commemorate India’s Independence Day. She also cooked masala dosas alongside Indian-origin actor Mindy Kaling.
Her victory alongside Biden in the 2020 US presidential election was celebrated in her ancestral village of Thulasendrapuram in Tiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, where villagers burst crackers, distributed sweets, and drew colourful ‘kolams’ in front of their homes. Now, a special pooja was held at the family temple in her ancestral village to invoke blessings for her expected upcoming presidential battle against Donald Trump.
Trump vs Kamala: Who is better poised to win?
Vice President Kamala Harris is performing better than Biden against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
According to a Morning Consult survey conducted after Biden announced his decision to step aside, Trump leads Harris by just 2 percentage points—47 percent to 45 percent. This is an improvement from the 6-point margin Biden faced in earlier surveys before exiting the race.
The latest poll indicates that Harris is more competitive against Trump than Biden among key groups. She appears more capable of harnessing the political power of the anti-Trump coalition that has been strong in the federal elections of 2018, 2020, and 2022. Harris polls better among both women and men, as well as among Democrats, who had been a consistent weakness for Biden. She also runs ahead of Trump among independents.
Furthermore, Harris leads Trump by 54 points among Black voters, compared with Biden's 39-point advantage. While the youngest voters favoured Trump by 9 points against Biden, Harris leads by 2 points among them.
Harris is seen as an upgrade over Biden. Weeks of poor fundraising, shaky public appearances, and demands from fellow Democrats for him to withdraw had raised doubts about his campaign's viability. At the very least, Harris should be able to conduct energetic campaign events and boost fundraising efforts.
ActBlue, a left-leaning online contribution platform, announced that small donors contributed more than $50 million within hours of her announcement that she was entering the race.
Whoever America chooses to be their President later in the year, it is clear that Kamala Harris in the Oval Office will be more favourable for the UK. Evie Aspinall, Director of the British Foreign Policy Group, told Asian Voice, “ As sister parties, relations between the Labour Party and the Democrats are very strong and would continue to strengthen under a Harris Presidency. Harris is not hugely experienced in the international arena but her views are broadly aligned with the UK.”
Sharing her opinion on UK’s alignment with Trump’s campaign, she said, “While the UK has made significant efforts to strengthen relations with Trump's team his scepticism over support for Ukraine, his hawkish approach to China and his scepticism of climate leadership and international institutions are a challenge for the UK.
“A Trump Presidency will be very difficult for the UK to navigate, as he turns away from the US' traditional allies. Nonetheless, the special relationship has endured difficult leaders both sides of the Atlantic before and no doubt will continue to do so.”
Minority vs minority to split voters?
While Kamala Harris' Indian heritage has been a highlight since her endorsement as the presidential candidate, she faces strong competition from Usha Vance, the wife of Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance.
Usha Vance, with roots in Andhra Pradesh, comes from a family of academics, including her great-aunt, Professor Shanthamma Chilukuri, who is India's oldest active professor at age 96. Her candidacy is seen as part of Trump's strategy to appeal to immigrants in America. Although Usha is now a registered Republican, she identified as a Democrat in 2014. Republicans believe her shift might inspire more South Asian voters to switch from Democratic loyalty.
However, while Usha Vance’s position is notable, what will ultimately matter to voters is JD Vance's stance on key issues like immigration, climate change, and health care. Some South Asian Americans have criticised the Republican Party and media for using Usha Vance's profile to promote a model minority narrative that does not address policies harmful to their community.
Going forward, this battle for minority and immigrant votes will certainly be an intriguing one. It will be interesting to see which candidate can successfully shift perspectives and gain the support of these communities.