With a new poll indicating that Democratic challenger Rohit “Ro” Khanna has finally closed the gap with party veteran and seven-term Congressman Mike Honda, Indian-American circles are agog with expectation that the community would have another new face in US Congress.
There have been only three Indian-Americans to make it to the Capitol Hill in Washington thus far — Democrat Dalip Singh Saund back in the 1950s, Republican Bobby Jindal in 2005 and Democrat Ami Bera in 2013.
While Bera faces a tough contest against former Republican Congressman Doug Ose to retain his seat from California’s 7th Congressional district, all eyes this time are really on the Silicon Valley race between Khanna and Honda in the State’s 17th Congressional district.
Endorsed by top executives of several tech majors (including Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg), Khanna made waves till about summer, when Honda easily prevailed over him in the Democratic primaries, held in June. Honda walked away with 48.2 per cent, against Khanna’s 28 per cent.
California rules, however, permit the runner-up to contest as well in the Congressional race, thus affording Khanna another chance. And the determined Indian-American challenger has used the last few months to bounce back.
On Monday, a poll, conducted by David Binder Research of San Francisco, showed that Honda and Khanna were tied at 38 per cent, with 24 per cent undecided.
“These numbers are a clear sign that the more voters hear Ro’s vision for strengthening our economy, fostering innovation, and ensuring our children are prepared for the jobs of the future, the more likely they are to vote for new leadership this November,” said Khanna’s campaign manager leah Cowan.