Haley, Ramaswamy and Singh are names making Indian Americans proud

The entry of the third Indian American Republican candidate, Hirsh Vardhan Singh, in the race for the Republican nomination for US Presidential election next year; yet again highlights the coming of age of the community in politics and public life. While Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and former President Donald Trump’s first ambassador to the United Nations, is the political heavyweight among the three Indian American candidates; outsider to politics and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, whose parents migrated to the United States from Kerala; entered the fray in February 2023 and has, surprisingly, jumped to third position, behind just former President Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in the opinion polls for the Republican nomination. Singh, the latest entrant in the race, has worked with the New Jersey Republican Party and says that he is a ‘lifelong Republican’.

While it’s too early to predict if the Indian American candidates will be in the reckoning in July next year at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to formally select the party’s presidential nominee; Ramaswamy and Haley both appear to be safe on the polling and fund raising fronts to qualify for the Primary debates which take place among candidates in the campaign for in the Republican party’s nomination. Indian Americans are excited and energised over the fact that three members of the community have become visible faces in the race for the highest office in the United States and many are following the campaigns closely regardless of their political affiliations.

Jiten Agarwal, CEO of QuantAi, a global data and AI company headquartered in Texas, and a prominent business and community leader in Houston, has been a long-time supporter and fund raiser for Haley and feels that the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador besides being the only woman Republican candidate for 2024; has a proven government as well as foreign policy and international relations experience. “Her dedication to public service and leadership has made her a respected figure in American politics as well as in Indian American community across America. She has been consistent in campaigning and fundraising since she announced her White House bid in February 2023. Her campaign has raised $15.6 million, a modest but consistent sum that showcases her consistent robust appeal to small donors. Separately, a super PAC supporting her had raised $18.7 million since its inception this year, and that it had $17 million in cash on hand at the end of June,” he said.

Agarwal added that Ramaswamy, the multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur is young and super conservative but has never spent a day in government and Singh, who announced his 2024 bid very recently, has had unsuccessful bids in Republican primaries for governor of New Jersey in 2017 and 2021, for a House seat in 2018 and for Senate in 2020. “A number of national surveys have recently shown Ramaswamy surging. However he is still an unknown commodity to the millions of Americans. He is on fence as far as the Indian American community is concerned. He raised more than $7.7 million in the second quarter of 2023, but majority of it came from himself,” he said.

Agarwal feels that while only time will tell the outcome for the high-profile Indian Americans in the race, but as of now, Haley has much better chances than the other two. “She is a seasoned politician, and liked equally by Indian American community, and Republican establishment. She has been very consistent in her campaign so far. Given her track record of winning every election she has contested, she has much better chances than the other two Indian American candidates so far,” he said.

Jitendra Diganvker, a businessman who ran for the US House representative election from Illinois 8th Congressional district on a Republican Party ticket in 2018 feels that even though it is still a matter of debate whether in 2024, Ramaswamy, Haley or Singh will contest against former US President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination to unseat the leadership of President Joe Biden; it is not impossible to imagine an Indian American getting an equal opportunity to occupying the top position in America.

“Americans are ready for change with the expanding horizons and positive and flexible mindsets of the average American voter. Indian Americans are hard-working, well educated, responsible and peace-loving people. We are contributing significantly to the country’s political, economic and social capital and we are one of the highest educated ethnic groups with the highest per capital income and have become a major source of funding for both Democrats and Republicans,” he said.

Arun Agarwal, an Indian American businessman and community leader in Dallas, Texas, feels that with a population of over four million and a community that significantly contributes to the US economy; it is important for Indian Americans to seek their position in the highest political offices as well. “Haley has significant executive and international experience to justify her claim, and she just might be the darkest horse in the race. What makes us proud as Indian Americans is that Haley has never been hesitant to claim and be proud of her Indian roots and Ramaswamy, with no political experience is also getting significant attention and hitting the chord amongst Republican voters. The latest entry of Singh also brings more attention towards Indian American participation. I hope this helps and inspires more Indian Americans to run at local and state levels and assert their role and importance in policy making at all levels,” said Agarwal who is co-chair of Indian American CEO Council an organisation with a mission of getting the community more involved in public life.