US election 2024: How 'Samosa caucas' may play key role in poll process

Vice President Kamala Harris is locked in a fierce contest with former US President Donald Trump

The US election is just days away. With Indian Americans reportedly being the second largest immigrant groups in the USA, the “Samosa Caucus” is expected to play a key part of the Presidential election process.

With over 5.2 million Indian-Americans residing in the US, this demographic has increasingly drawn attention.

During his address to a joint sitting of the US Congress, Prime minister Narendra Modi in August 2023 recognised the significant presence of millions of individuals in the United States who have ancestral ties to India. The chamber erupted in a standing ovation as PM Modi specifically mentioned the historic achievement of Kamala Harris in being elected as the vice president of the US.

What is ‘Samosa Caucus’?

"Samosa Caucus” refers to a group of Indian-American lawmakers in the US Congress. The term is used for the growing number of Indian-American legislators who are of South Asian descent, particularly those of Indian origin. The term was coined around 2018 by Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois with an ode to the popular Indian snack samosa.

Currently, there are six US Representatives of Indian descent serving in the Samosa Caucus. All of them belong to the Democratic Party.

They are – Shri Thanedar representing Michigan's 13th District, Dr Ami Bera from California's 6th District, Ro Khanna from California's 17th District, Pramila Jayapal representing Washington's 7th District, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois's 8th District, and vice president Kamala Harris.

How many Indian-origin voters?

According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace survey, based on 2022 data, currently about 3.9 million Indian Americans are of voting age, with an estimated 2.6 million eligible to vote.

Preference of these voters

According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace survey, 60% of Indian-Americans support the Democratic Party, yet there has been a slight increase in support for Donald Trump. Approximately one-third of Indian-American voters indicated they are likely to vote for Trump. Gender differences are notable, with 67% of Indian-American women favouring Kamala Harris, compared to 53% of men. Meanwhile, 22% of women plan to vote for Trump, while 39% of men show support for the Republican candidate.

Though Democrats still retain strong support, the survey points to a decline in self-identified Democratic Indian-Americans, dropping from 56% in 2020 to 47% in 2024.

According to reports, the Republican Party's struggles with Indian-American voters stem from policy misalignments, particularly regarding issues such as minority rights and abortion.

Kamala’s connection

Harris’ mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born and raised in what was then known as Madras (now Chennai), the capital of Tamil Nadu. When she was 19, she was accepted to a master’s programme at the University of California, Berkeley, where she met Harris’ Jamaican father, Donald Harris.

If Harris wins the race, then it will be the first time in US history that a candidate of Indian heritage would occupy the top office in the USA.