US President Joe Biden's decision to endorse Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee has injected a surge of energy and enthusiasm within the Democratic Party, according to prominent Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. Biden's endorsement, following his announcement to drop out of the presidential race, has revitalized the party, providing a new sense of unity and purpose.
"It's exciting. I mean, I think there's no other word for it. It's exciting. It created a burst of energy and enthusiasm, positivity within the Democratic Party," Krishnamoorthi told PTI in an interview.
Biden's endorsement came after a disappointing performance in a debate against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The endorsement of Harris is seen as a strategic move to unite the party and present a strong candidate capable of challenging Trump in the November election.Â
Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic Party lawmaker from Illinois, plans to campaign for Harris in the battleground state of Wisconsin. He highlighted the positive reception Harris has received, noting that her campaign has already raised over $130 million within three days of her candidacy announcement.
"She's hit the ground running, been greeted by boisterous crowds. I think that people feel like nothing's a guarantee, but we have a shot. We have a chance now to win back the White House, and we need somebody who can take the case to Donald Trump. I can't think of someone else better than Kamala Harris to do that right now," Krishnamoorthi said.
Reflecting on the rise of Indian Americans in politics, Krishnamoorthi noted that they are following a well-worn path taken by various immigrant groups in the US. He emphasized the importance of having representation and a seat at the table to ensure that their issues and concerns are addressed.
"There's this old saying in Washington DC, if you don't have a seat at the table, you're on the menu. Now, I think Indian Americans in a big way are pulling up the proverbial seat to the table and making sure that their issues are addressed, that their concerns are met, and that they are also contributing back to society as a whole and paying it forward," he said.
Looking ahead, Krishnamoorthi stressed the importance of raising resources and delivering a disciplined message that resonates with everyday people and families. He highlighted the significant challenges the next president will face, including protecting reproductive freedom, fixing the immigration system, and addressing global technological competition with China.
"I think the next president is going to need to both deal with certain issues which the electorate is very concerned about right now, such as, for instance, protecting reproductive freedom, making sure that we take care of the border and the immigration system which is really tied together. We have to solve our legal immigration system problems which are a mess and deal with the border simultaneously," he said.
"They also want an elected official who's going to look forward. What are the challenges of the future? How do you defeat the Chinese Communist Party in this global technological competition that we have? How do we make sure that we continue to raise our standard of living so that our children are better off than we are? Those are the types of questions that she's going to need to face going into the Oval Office," he added.
