Politicians nationwide are attending community holidays, religious services, and cultural events to mobilize support in highly competitive districts. In Texas, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico learned to make dosas at an Irving restaurant as he campaigns against Republican Ken Paxton. Similar high-profile engagements have seen officials like Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont host Diwali at the State Capitol, while New Jersey Senator Cory Booker joined festivities at the Akshardham temple. Federal lawmakers from Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania have likewise incorporated local Hindu temple visits into their campaign schedules.
Key points
Campaign visits to Hindu temples and community events reflect a strategic push to capture…: Campaign visits to Hindu temples and community events reflect a strategic push to capture decisive demographic support.
Margins as slim as one or two percentage points make Indian-American voters critical to d…: Margins as slim as one or two percentage points make Indian-American voters critical to determining election outcomes.
Bipartisan engagement spans multiple states including Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohi…: Bipartisan engagement spans multiple states including Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
As the US midterm campaign gathers pace, Indian-American communities are increasingly finding themselves in the spotlight, with candidates turning to cultural events, temple visits and even dosa-making sessions to connect with voters who could influence the outcome of closely fought contests.
In suburban Dallas, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico recently traded campaign appearances for a cooking lesson at an Indian restaurant in Irving, an area with a sizeable Indian-American population.
Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, Talarico was seen scooping dosa batter from a bowl, spreading it across a hot pan and topping it with a spicy potato filling. He then folded the crispy dosa and served it on a banana leaf-lined plate, drawing applause from those present.
The outreach comes as Talarico mounts a strong challenge to Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the Senate race in traditionally Republican Texas.
Temples and Diwali celebrations become campaign stops
Restaurants are not the only places where candidates are seeking to connect with Indian-American voters. Hindu temples and community celebrations have increasingly featured in their outreach efforts, particularly in states with…
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