Ritu Jha-
Indian American voters came out to vote in the 2024 United States primary elections with the hope of seeing their candidates win, and hoping that they will support the cause of bringing down spiralling inflation and of creating jobs.
The results show that Indian American incumbents from California are headed to the November 5 election, despite a few candidates losing on Super Tuesday.
First-timer Shriyans Ayalasomayajula (pictured above), an 18-year-old, Republican, came along with his father Mohan Ayalasomayajula, a Democrat, to vote at Dublin City Center.
Shriyans sounded pleased, and said he is a proud Republican. “I am a teenager. As a high schooler, I see that a lot of people are struggling due to high inflation,” the student of Dublin High said. He voted for former President Donald Trump and for Steve Garvey for the US Senate.
He turned Republican, he said, because he fears that after graduating from college, he may not be able to afford anything “even if I do get a good job.” He said, “I am seeing lot of people not being able to afford anything.”
California, traditionally a Blue state, is pushing for Prop 1, to authorize $6.38 billion in bonds to build mental health
treatment facilities for the homeless and for those who use drugs. “They want our taxpayer money to support and build mental health Institutions for drug users and for alcohol coverage, which is fine, but I am not sure it would be used in a good way.”
His father, Mohan Ayalasomayajula, said he reluctantly voted for President Joe Biden. “He sucks but I don’t have a choice. I wish I were an independent voter,” he told indica.
Mohan is voting Democratic for the second time. “When Trump was in power, things were bad but now I honestly think he was better,” he told indica. He lamented that despite making a six-figure salary, he is struggling to pay bills for the last three years. “I don’t care what is going on globally and who Biden wants to fund. I am concerned about rising inflation.”
He added, “The government says the unemployment rate is going down and if you make a phone call to any customer care, they say have no resources to answer your call. Where is this economy going?”
Another Indian American voter Adil Nakhuda told indica that the Israel-Hamas war is the most important topic for the election, and that “I am voting for those who advocate peace.” Another voter Ujjwal Banerjee said, “It is important to know who fills my pockets, and who is competent.”
Gowrang Desai voted for Republican Vin Kruttiventi, who is running for California Congressional District 14. He said, “Every citizen deserves to feel safe on the street, in their neighborhood, and at home.” Until the time of filing this story, Kruttiventi had received 5,246 votes. His potential rival, incumbent Congressman Eric Swalwell had earned 19,053 votes in November.
Desai told indica he voted for Swalwell earlier, but they (Democrats) are getting more progressive and are for open borders, which is not good. “We Indian Americans want him to first reach the November and then to make him win,” Desai told indica. He voted for Trump because he feels that the charges against him are fabricated. “Biden is bad in everything you can think of, and he is the one responsible for the border chaos.”
In the California US Congressional seat from District 14, Democrat Ro Khanna won 31,861 votes, while Republican Anita Chen got 15,227, and Ritesh Tandon who moved from Republican to Democrat earned only 2,284 votes.
Tandon told Indica the voter turnout was too low, with only 6 percent in Alameda County and 17 percent in Santa Clara County coming out to vote.
Dr. Ami Bera, an Indian American Democrat who has represented California Congressional District 6 since 2013, moved ahead with 26,521 votes and on November 5 will face Republican Christine Bish, who earned 9,398 votes.
Democrat Rishi Kumar, another California Congressional candidate from District 16, lost to the former city of San Jose mayor Democrat Sam Liccardo, who defeated 10 contestants and received 18906 votes, whereas Kumar earned 5,418 votes.
Michelle Steel , a Republican from US Congressional District 45 earned 46,085 votes and defeated four Democrats along with Aditya Pai who earned 4,012 votes.
Republican Vijal Suthar, who ran for US Congress from California District 35 with aims to reform policies stood fourth last with 1,542 votes and Norma J. Torres, would be vying with another Republican Mike Cargile.
Democrat Christopher A. Ahuja ran from US Congressional District 32, received 3623 votes, and lost. Brad Sherman, Democrat, got 42,701 votes and would be vying with Republican James Shuster who got 7,223 votes.
Niket Patwardhan, with no party preference, stood fourth. He ran for US Congressional District 14 and got 1014 votes, while Mike Thompson got 62,027 votes and would be facing John Munn, Republican with 30,622 votes.
Ash Kalra, a Democrat, running for California Assembly for the fifth time and presently representing District 25 earned 16,181 votes and would be vying against Republican Ted Stroll who earned 9,454 votes.
Another Indian American who won the California Assembly District 35 primary is Democrat incumbent Jasmeet Bains with 5,866 and would be vying with Republican Robert Rosas who earned 4,011 votes.
Democrat, Darshana Patel is a member of the Poway Unified Board of Education in California, ran for California Assembly District 76 stood 2nd and earned 18,957 votes and would be facing Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane with received 29,645 votes.
Utkarsh Jain, the youngest Republican and a UC Berkeley student, ran for California Assembly District 14. The first-time contestant lost to Buffy Wicks, a Democrat who earned 24,987 votes.
Republican Arjun Gustav Sodhani, who ran from State Assembly District 19 received 4,037 votes and stood at 4th place, lost to Catherine Stefani at 30,076.
Ashish Garg with (No party preference) ran for election to the California State Assembly to represent District 26 stood 5th, and Patrick Ahrens would be heading to the Nov. election, where he would be facing Republican Sophie Yan Song with 8,576 votes and Indian American Democrat Tara Sreekrishnan earned 8,400 votes.
