As a first-generation daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, Kamala Harris’ identity resonates deeply for many New Jersey residents with South Asian roots, who feel she’s one of their own.
“Her grandmother and my grandmother have the same name and her family is from the same area of India that my family is from. It’s pretty emotional and pretty amazing,” said state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth). He notes South Asians comprise one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing minorities — close to 5% of residents — more than any other state. About 430,000 of them are from India, clustered mostly in Middlesex County towns including Edison and Plainsboro and gaining economic and political influence statewide.
A recent national Zoom fund raiser for Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women raised a quarter million dollars, for the Harris campaign. Electing Harris to the Oval Office would shatter several glass ceilings. Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said he hopes she could also help heal some of the racial anger plaguing America and the state.
India’s a vital economic and diplomatic partner, being the world’s largest democracy. But New Jersey’s South Asian voting bloc is by no means monolithic, and conservatives like Priti Pandya-Patel think Harris can’t handle international affairs.
“I just don’t think she’s qualified, because she doesn’t have the global background.” Pandya-Patel says. “I just don’t feel that she’s the qualified candidate to be president of this United States, especially with everything going on in the world.”
Pandya-Patel prefers the Republican slate, noting vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s wife is also Indian American. Donald Trump visited India in 2020, and hosted the controversial Prime Minister at a Texas rally.
