Washington: More than two dozen Indian- Americans are in electoral fray for the crucial US elections, but all eyes would be on three young leaders --South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Congressman Ami Bera and Ro Khanna, who have made a mark in the country's politics. The results of the elections will start flowing from tomorrow morning. The three-million-strong Indian-American community has pinned its hope on Haley, Bera and Khanna. The elections range from State governorship to the House of Representative, state legislatures and city council seat. Topping the list is Nikki Haley, who is seeking her second term as Governor of South Carolina. A rising Republican star, top leaders of the party including several presidential hopefuls – former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Indian-American Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal have campaigned for her.
If opinion polls are to be believed, she is all set for her re-election. In fact, she is so confident of her victory that Haley has already planned for her maiden trip to India as South Carolina Governor soon after here electoral win. Political pundits say, her re-election would bring her on the national platform. Of the four Indian-American Congressional candidates, three – Bera and Khanna from California, Manan Trivedi from Pennsylvania – are from the Democratic Party, while Arvin Vohra from the Maryland is seeking entry into the House of Representatives on a Libertarian Party ticket. Bera, a physician by profession, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012, making him only the third Indian-American Congressmen after Dalip Singh Saund and Jindal.
Bera, who had won the 2012 elections on a small margin, yesterday received a last minute boost to his campaign with the First Lady, Michelle Obama, recording a phone call in his favour. Last week, former US President Bill Clinton had campaigned for him. On the eve of the elections, Bing predicted Bera of 62 per cent chances of winning the elections. Nationwide, all eyes would be glued on one young Democratic leader, Khanna, who has hired services of the Obama re-election campaign to challenge his own partyman Mike Honda from 17th Congressional District of California, which is the hub of the Silicon Valley. In the closing days of the campaign, latest opinion polls showed Khanna and Honda were running neck and neck, with the latter having an edge over the Indian-American.
