Republicans and Democrats Step Up Outreach to Indian-American Voters in Michigan

WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats in Michigan are intensifying efforts to attract Indian-American voters ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with both parties highlighting community leaders and candidates as they compete for control of key political offices.

The Michigan Republican Party recently claimed growing support among Indian-American voters for U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers and other Republican candidates.

“The Indian-American community in Michigan is coming out big-time for Mike Rogers and our entire Republican ticket,” the state party said in a social media post Sunday night.

The post highlighted a campaign event in Oakland County attended by Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Sunny Reddy and Republican National Committee National Committeewoman Hima Kolanagireddy, both Indian Americans.

However, the party did not provide voter turnout figures or polling data to support its claim of increased community backing.

Michigan Democrats, meanwhile, are emphasizing the possibility of electing the nation’s first Indian-American speaker of a state House of Representatives.

A Democratic state House campaign, posting under the account @HaleyforMI, said Democrats were “about to flip the state house and make Ranjeev Puri THE FIRST! Indian American State House Speaker in the country!”

Puri, a Democrat representing Michigan’s 24th House District, has served as House Democratic leader since January 2025. He represents Canton and surrounding areas in Wayne County and is seeking reelection.

Republicans currently control the Michigan House under Speaker Matt Hall, while Democrats hold the state Senate and the governor’s office.

For Puri to become speaker, Democrats would first need to regain a House majority, after which Democratic lawmakers would have to select him for the leadership position.

State legislative leadership records indicate that no Indian American has previously served as speaker of a state House or Assembly.

Indian-American lawmakers have held other senior legislative positions, including Upendra Chivukula and Raj Mukherji, who served as deputy speakers of the New Jersey General Assembly.

Following Michigan’s August 4 primary, Puri said the Democratic Party’s objective was “to take back the Michigan House, restore our Democratic trifecta, and keep our state moving forward.”

The competing outreach efforts come amid an increasingly contentious U.S. Senate race between Rogers, a former Republican congressman, and Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed.

President Donald Trump criticized El-Sayed during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, calling him a “jihadist.”

Trump had also described El-Sayed as a “radical jihadist” during a Saturday rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, and repeatedly referred to him as “Mohammed” instead of Abdul.

El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan to Egyptian immigrant parents, responded to the remarks on social media.

“He knows my name is Abdul. He says it every day. But he’s not just attacking me. He’s attacking all of us,” El-Sayed wrote.

If elected, El-Sayed would become the first Muslim member of the U.S. Senate.

Despite the competing appeals to Indian-American voters, neither party has released detailed polling or voter registration data showing the community’s political preferences in Michigan.

The state has a substantial Indian-American population, particularly in Detroit-area suburbs such as Oakland County and Canton Township.

Michigan was among the closest battleground states in the 2024 presidential election and remains a major focus for both parties.

The U.S. Senate contest is particularly significant because the seat is being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

Indian-American voters have historically leaned Democratic, although Republicans have increasingly sought their support by recruiting Indian-American candidates and appointing community representatives to party leadership positions.

The competing campaigns underscore the growing political visibility of Indian Americans in Michigan, where both parties are seeking support in closely contested statewide and legislative races. (Source: IANS)