CBS News: For the First Time, South Asian Americans Will Be Represented at the Top of a Presidential Ticket

DUTHIERS Now to that ░░░░░░░░ wave of political enthusiasm ░░░░░░░░ South Asian Americans For ░░░░░░░░ first time they ll ░░░░░░░░ represented at the top ░░░░░░░░ a presidential ticket with ░░░░░░░░ Harris who is half ░░░░░░░░ Today Harris will visit ░░░░░░░░ battleground state of North ░░░░░░░░ South Asians in the ░░░░░░░░ are the largest and ░░░░░░░░ growing Asian voting bloc ░░░░░░░░ and their vote could ░░░░░░░░ a big difference Shanelle ░░░░░░░░ traveled to North Carolina ░░░░░░░░ meet those voters Shanelle ░░░░░░░░ morning KAUL Hey good ░░░░░░░░ Vlad We re seeing ░░░░░░░░ donations record turnout and ░░░░░░░░ representation from this community ░░░░░░░░ this surge in enthusiasm ░░░░░░░░ Kamala Harris almost all ░░░░░░░░ Americans say they prioritize ░░░░░░░░ over identity leaving this ░░░░░░░░ bloc very much up ░░░░░░░░ grabs Clip starts KAUL ░░░░░░░░ over In Morrisville North ░░░░░░░░ home to the state ░░░░░░░░ largest Asian population inaudible ░░░░░░░░ canvassing voters This will ░░░░░░░░ her first presidential election ░░░░░░░░ the first time her ░░░░░░░░ is represented at the ░░░░░░░░ of a ticket Harris ░░░░░░░░ is a very important ░░░░░░░░ of my life KAUL ░░░░░░░░ does this all mean ░░░░░░░░ you UNKNOWN FEMALE 1 ░░░░░░░░ just think the fact ░░░░░░░░ we could have someone ░░░░░░░░ looks like me in ░░░░░░░░ sorry I m like ░░░░░░░░ up I don t ░░░░░░░░ what to say KAUL ░░░░░░░░ over That resonance comes ░░░░░░░░ representation is rising Nikki ░░░░░░░░ Vivek Ramaswamy and Usha ░░░░░░░░ also recently entered the ░░░░░░░░ scene UNKNOWN FEMALE 2 ░░░░░░░░ Whatsapp chats were blowing ░░░░░░░░ KAUL voice over Over ░░░░░░░░ cup of chai local ░░░░░░░░ Chavi Khanna Koneru says ░░░░░░░░ level of engagement since ░░░░░░░░ nomination is unprecedented KONERU ░░░░░░░░ have had more South ░░░░░░░░ reach out to volunteer ░░░░░░░░ us than in all ░░░░░░░░ election cycles put together ░░░░░░░░ voice over And while ░░░░░░░░ North Carolina voters we ░░░░░░░░ were encouraged by Harris ░░░░░░░░ UNKNOWN FEMALE 2 I ░░░░░░░░ feeling so excited KAUL ░░░░░░░░ over others say that ░░░░░░░░ not enough UNKNOWN MALE ░░░░░░░░ I m a little ░░░░░░░░ It s a little ░░░░░░░░ KAUL voice over And ░░░░░░░░ s because this community ░░░░░░░░ not a monolith While ░░░░░░░░ 40 of Asian Americans ░░░░░░░░ left South Asians represent ░░░░░░░░ least nine countries and ░░░░░░░░ religions leaving this demographic ░░░░░░░░ on key issues So ░░░░░░░░ sat down with these ░░░░░░░░ voters to learn what ░░░░░░░░ most KAUL Who here ░░░░░░░░ still undecided Raise your ░░░░░░░░ What does Kamala Harris ░░░░░░░░ to say to win ░░░░░░░░ vote UNKNOWN FEMALE 3 ░░░░░░░░ ceasefire in the war ░░░░░░░░ if there is no ░░░░░░░░ there will be no ░░░░░░░░ KAUL voice over 24 ░░░░░░░░ old inaudible says the ░░░░░░░░ crisis in Gaza has ░░░░░░░░ how many liberal Democrats ░░░░░░░░ the Biden Harris Administration ░░░░░░░░ Muslims UNKNOWN FEMALE 3 ░░░░░░░░ s just really disappointing ░░░░░░░░ see someone the same ░░░░░░░░ color as me want ░░░░░░░░ also hurt people the ░░░░░░░░ skin color as us ░░░░░░░░ voice over Like the ░░░░░░░░ of South Asian Americans ░░░░░░░░ year old independent inaudible ░░░░░░░░ about the economy UNKNOWN ░░░░░░░░ 2 How is that ░░░░░░░░ money being spent Right ░░░░░░░░ it being spent for ░░░░░░░░ or is it being ░░░░░░░░ so that I get ░░░░░░░░ tax cuts KAUL voice ░░░░░░░░ Issues like immigration have ░░░░░░░░ year old independent inaudible ░░░░░░░░ right UNKNOWN MALE 3 ░░░░░░░░ lot of South Asians ░░░░░░░░ all playing by the ░░░░░░░░ So when you see ░░░░░░░░ southern border that s ░░░░░░░░ huge concern KAUL How ░░░░░░░░ impact can the South ░░░░░░░░ vote have this election ░░░░░░░░ FEMALE 2 Back in ░░░░░░░░ there were 31 elections ░░░░░░░░ North Carolina that were ░░░░░░░░ by one vote And ░░░░░░░░ when we say that ░░░░░░░░ vote matters and every ░░░░░░░░ Asian vote matters we ░░░░░░░░ it UNKNOWN FEMALE 1 ░░░░░░░░ you guys like to ░░░░░░░░ text reminders about the ░░░░░░░░ KAUL voice over In ░░░░░░░░ Carolina alone more than ░░░░░░░░ of South Asian voters ░░░░░░░░ not yet registered with ░░░░░░░░ party which means if ░░░░░░░░ they could be a ░░░░░░░░ factor this November UNKNOWN ░░░░░░░░ 1 Hopefully it ll ░░░░░░░░ people feel more excited ░░░░░░░░ being part of politics ░░░░░░░░ able to feel like ░░░░░░░░ actually have a role ░░░░░░░░ A sense of belonging ░░░░░░░░ FEMALE 1 Yes yes ░░░░░░░░ Clip ends KAUL And ░░░░░░░░ North Carolina 80 of ░░░░░░░░ Americans had never even ░░░░░░░░ contacted by a party ░░░░░░░░ 2016 but guys that ░░░░░░░░ changing Both campaigns are ░░░░░░░░ us now that they ░░░░░░░░ the South Asian vote ░░░░░░░░ the Harris campaign saying ░░░░░░░░ are planning some specific ░░░░░░░░ to this demographic.”