Indian-American Voters Show High Midterm Enthusiasm, Strong Democratic Preference, Survey Finds

Washington — Indian-American voters are showing strong interest in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections and a pronounced preference for Democratic congressional candidates, according to a new national survey.

The 2026 Asian American Voter Survey found that 92% of registered Indian-American voters said they planned to vote in November. Of those, 74% said they were absolutely certain they would cast a ballot, while another 23% said they were fairly certain.

Indian Americans also posted the largest increase in voting enthusiasm among the major Asian ethnic groups surveyed. Forty-three percent said they were more enthusiastic than usual about voting, while 22% said they were less enthusiastic and 32% reported about the same level of interest.

The survey showed a strong preference for Democratic candidates in both Senate and House races.

Among Indian-American voters, 66% said they supported Democratic Senate candidates, compared with 22% who preferred Republicans and 7% who favored another party.

Support for Democratic Senate candidates among the Asian-American groups surveyed ranged from 42% among Filipino voters to 66% among Indian Americans.

In House races, 66% of Indian-American voters backed Democratic candidates, compared with 18% who supported Republicans and 9% who preferred another party. Among those who expressed a House preference, 60% said they strongly supported their chosen candidate.

The survey also found that Indian-American voters held largely unfavorable views of President Donald Trump. Seventy-four percent viewed Trump unfavorably, including 56% who had a very unfavorable opinion.

Twenty percent viewed him favorably, including 7% who had a very favorable opinion and 13% who viewed him somewhat favorably.

Indian Americans were also more likely than other major Asian-American groups to say they planned to vote in person. Fifty-five percent said they expected to cast their ballots at a polling place, while 34% preferred voting by mail and 8% planned to use a ballot drop-off location.

Political engagement extended beyond voting. Three-quarters of Indian-American respondents said they had discussed politics with family members or friends during the previous year.

Nineteen percent said they had attended a protest, march, demonstration or rally, while 20% had attended a local government meeting such as a city council or school board session.

Across the broader survey, 90% of registered Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters said they planned to participate in the midterms, up from 84% in 2022 and 86% in 2018.

Democratic candidates also led among the broader electorate surveyed. Sixty percent supported Democratic Senate candidates, compared with 24% for Republicans. In House races, Democrats held a 64% to 22% advantage.

Cost of living and inflation emerged as the top issue, with 90% of Asian-American voters saying it was very or extremely important in determining their vote.

The survey included 2,066 registered voters, including 1,896 Asian Americans and 170 Pacific Islanders. The Indian-American subgroup included 242 respondents, while the Senate preference findings were based on responses from 148 Indian Americans.

Interviews were conducted by telephone, web and online recruitment between June 3 and July 27. The survey used ethnic sampling quotas and weighting based on voter characteristics.

The survey was conducted by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and AAPI Data. The organizations estimate that 16 million Asian-American and Pacific Islander citizens are eligible to vote in 2026, including about 1.6 million who became eligible after 2022.

The November midterm elections will determine all 435 seats in the U.S. House and roughly one-third of the Senate, making them a major test of political support midway through the president’s four-year term. (Source: IANS)