BOSTON—A national online survey of Indian-Americans reveals that a whopping 79.43 percent of them would vote for Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton if elections were held today while 14.89 percent would vote for Republican candidate Donald Trump. Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson received 1.42 percent support from Indian-Americans. The survey was conducted during Oct. 21-26 after the third and final presidential debate.
The opinion poll, which was piloted by IndUS Business Journal and its sister publication INDIA New England News, also revealed that 46.43 percent Indian-Americans are registered as an Independent while 38.57 percent as a Democrat and only five percent as a Republican.
“The biggest surprise was that nearly half of the Indian-Americans are registered as Independents,” said Upendra Mishra, publisher of IndUS Business Journal and INDIA New England News. “The general assumption among Non-Resident Indians is that a vast majority of Indian-Americans are registered as Democrats.”
Mishra said that despite an intense campaign by a small Hindu minority to support Trump, the campaign by Republican Hindu Coalition has fallen on deaf ears. In fact, Republican Hindu Coalition has energized open-minded Indian-Americans to rally against Trump.
“A vast majority of NRI community in the United States is open-minded and beyond pettiness of caste and religion,” Mishra said. “The strength in diversity and openness is one of the greatest strengths of NRIs in the United States and worldwide.”
Mishra said that despite the insertion of Republican Hindu Coalition in the presidential elections, Trump is doing poorer than Republican Mitt Romney did four years ago.
“Trump is getting only 14.89 percent of Indian-American votes today,” Mishra said. “Four years ago, in a similar poll we conducted, Romney received 17.50 percent. That is almost three percentage points less than Romney.”
When asked who would be good for India, 72.46 percent said Clinton while 18.12 percent went for Trump and 1.45 percent said Johnson.
“Hillary and Donald both would be good (for India),” said one of the survey participants. “Trump understands threats posed by Pakistan and Islamic terrorism.”
When asked what did the Indian-American view as the most important campaign issue of the 2016 Presidential election, they listed hundreds of issues but overwhelmingly they voted for economy, job creation, healthcare, immigration, integrity, credibility, ethics and yes: sanity.
“Ms. Hillary’s steadiness helps US in maintaining dignity in world stage,” said one participant. “Mr. Trump is a loose cannon ball. He will make US look like a Joker and Puppet nation. He does not have any respect to anybody. He is a bully. He should be classified as a ‘SEXUAL OFFENDER’ even though these both are not so honest.”
Many of the participants who supported Trump cited his understanding of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism. Some were frustrated with the mudslinging in the current election.
“Insanity and craziness. It does not feel like we are participating in elections in a developed country–not to mention a Super Power,” said one participant. “The electoral climate has deteriorated and everyone is responsible–right from Republican to Democrats to the media and social media.”
Trump has declared himself as a “true friend of the Indian and Hindu community” and recently launched a video campaign in which he says “Ab ki baar, Trump Sarkar.” The phase is borrowed from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of “Ab ki baar Modi Sarkar.”
