(Image source from: x.com/JoeBiden)
US President Joe Biden is going through possibly his toughest time yet and the decline in Indian-American support is the latest worrying news for him. According to the biennial Asian American Voter Survey, the oldest survey of Asian American voters, released on July 10 between the last election in 2020 and today, support for Biden has fallen 19 percent among Indian-Americans. Biden's support among people of Indian descent is highest among Asian Americans. The poll shows that 46 percent of Indian Americans plan to vote for Biden in 2024, up from 65 percent in 2020. Furthermore, the poll was conducted before Biden's disastrous debate. The poll was conducted by Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), AAPI Data, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) and AARP. The biggest decline was a staggering 19 percent among Asian American voters. The survey was conducted ahead of the Biden-Trump presidential debate on June 27. Many Americans are concerned about Biden's suitability for the presidency following his performance in the debate. As for Asian Americans, 46 percent of Asian Americans are likely to vote for Biden, down 9 percentage points from 2020. Meanwhile, 31 percent are expected to vote for Trump, up one point from 2020.
Despite Biden's decline, Trump's approval rating increased by 2 points, from 28% in 2020 to 30% in 2024. Asian Americans have been a key voting group in the United States over the past two decades, with their share increasing by 15 in the last four years alone percent has increased, and they have voted with a much higher turnout in every federal election since 2016. The number of Asian American voters, particularly first-time voters, was crucial to Biden's victory. This decline in support for Asian Americans may be significant, as the Asian American community makes up a significant portion of many battleground states. The poll shows Biden's approval rating among Indian Americans is 55 percent, compared to Trump's 35 percent. Both Biden and Trump have a 42 percent positive rating among Indian Americans. Kamala Harris, the first Indian-American woman to become Vice President of the United States, has a 54% approval rating and a 38% approval rating. Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, had a positive rating of just 33 percent and a negative rating of 46 percent. Another 11 percent said they had never heard of Haley.
“Asian Americans are rapidly diversifying the American electorate, and it is important to update our understanding of what motivates them and influences their voting decisions,” said AAPI Executive Director Karthik Ramakrishnan. “We are seeing continued mobility among Asian American voters, including questions surrounding the presidential election and party preferences on key issues from inflation to health care and immigration,” Ramakrishnan said in a statement.
