Anti-Indian rhetoric may have backfired on MAGA candidates in US elections, says Congressman
Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi says growing hostility towards Indian-Americans may have influenced voting patterns in the US elections, warning that candidates promoting anti-Indian sentiment could face electoral consequences.
- Nov 5, 2026,
- Updated Nov 5, 2026 9:57 PM IST
Anti-Indian rhetoric within sections of Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement may have backfired in the US elections, with Indian-American voters increasingly concerned about discrimination and hostility, Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has said.
In an exclusive interview with Siddharth Zarabi, Group Editor, Business Today, Krishnamoorthi said the election results should serve as a warning to Republican candidates who have used anti-Indian and anti-South Asian rhetoric.
He cited the defeat of Bo French in the Texas railroad commissioner race as an example of what he believes was a voter backlash against discriminatory politics.
"Probably the biggest bigot, biggest anti-India bigot we've seen in recent memory. He ran for Texas railroad commissioner and he lost soundly to John Rosenthal," Krishnamoorthi said.
He added that Rosenthal was "a very good candidate but who benefited from I believe the backlash toward the bigotry that Bo French practiced."
MAGA Republicans
Krishnamoorthi argued that hostility towards Indian-origin communities could carry political consequences for Republican candidates.
MUST READ: Why US midterm elections may not change the tariff equation for India
"Please don't go that down that path. You will be punished also electorally," he warned, adding that Indian-origin lawmakers and other political representatives would continue fighting discrimination in electoral contests.
However, his assessment reflects his interpretation of the election results rather than independently established evidence that anti-Indian rhetoric determined the outcome.
Did Indian-Americans shift towards Democrats?
Asked whether rising anti-Hindu and anti-Asian hostility had encouraged Indian-Americans to vote, Krishnamoorthi acknowledged that he lacked definitive evidence.
"I don't know," he said, before adding that Indian-Americans increasingly sensed hostility towards their community.
He suggested that Democratic support among Indian-American voters, which he estimated had fallen to around 60–70% in 2024, may have rebounded to 80–90% in the latest elections.
"I suspect that that colored their voting tendencies," he said.
These percentages are the congressman's estimates and were not presented as verified voting data.
Concerns over India-US relations
Despite his criticism of MAGA, Krishnamoorthi maintained that bipartisan support for India remains strong in Washington.
"I think there's still very strong bipartisan support for India," he said.
However, he warned that discrimination against Indian-origin people, including H-1B visa holders, could affect bilateral relations.
He also referred to an alleged attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, where he said he was present when an armed attacker arrived.
Krishnamoorthi urged Indian-Americans to increase political participation and work alongside other communities against discrimination.
He said stronger representation, from local councils to Congress, would be essential to protecting the community's interests and strengthening India-US ties.
DO READ: US midterm elections 2026: Democratic sweep erases $73 million from Trump’s net worth
Anti-Indian rhetoric within sections of Donald Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement may have backfired in the US elections, with Indian-American voters increasingly concerned about discrimination and hostility, Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has said.
In an exclusive interview with Siddharth Zarabi, Group Editor, Business Today, Krishnamoorthi said the election results should serve as a warning to Republican candidates who have used anti-Indian and anti-South Asian rhetoric.
He cited the defeat of Bo French in the Texas railroad commissioner race as an example of what he believes was a voter backlash against discriminatory politics.
"Probably the biggest bigot, biggest anti-India bigot we've seen in recent memory. He ran for Texas railroad commissioner and he lost soundly to John Rosenthal," Krishnamoorthi said.
He added that Rosenthal was "a very good candidate but who benefited from I believe the backlash toward the bigotry that Bo French practiced."
MAGA Republicans
Krishnamoorthi argued that hostility towards Indian-origin communities could carry political consequences for Republican candidates.
MUST READ: Why US midterm elections may not change the tariff equation for India
"Please don't go that down that path. You will be punished also electorally," he warned, adding that Indian-origin lawmakers and other political representatives would continue fighting discrimination in electoral contests.
However, his assessment reflects his interpretation of the election results rather than independently established evidence that anti-Indian rhetoric determined the outcome.
Did Indian-Americans shift towards Democrats?
Asked whether rising anti-Hindu and anti-Asian hostility had encouraged Indian-Americans to vote, Krishnamoorthi acknowledged that he lacked definitive evidence.
"I don't know," he said, before adding that Indian-Americans increasingly sensed hostility towards their community.
He suggested that Democratic support among Indian-American voters, which he estimated had fallen to around 60–70% in 2024, may have rebounded to 80–90% in the latest elections.
"I suspect that that colored their voting tendencies," he said.
These percentages are the congressman's estimates and were not presented as verified voting data.
Concerns over India-US relations
Despite his criticism of MAGA, Krishnamoorthi maintained that bipartisan support for India remains strong in Washington.
"I think there's still very strong bipartisan support for India," he said.
However, he warned that discrimination against Indian-origin people, including H-1B visa holders, could affect bilateral relations.
He also referred to an alleged attempted mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois, where he said he was present when an armed attacker arrived.
Krishnamoorthi urged Indian-Americans to increase political participation and work alongside other communities against discrimination.
He said stronger representation, from local councils to Congress, would be essential to protecting the community's interests and strengthening India-US ties.
DO READ: US midterm elections 2026: Democratic sweep erases $73 million from Trump’s net worth