The Illinois Democrat says hatred against South Asian Americans is moving into mainstream politics as he prepares to leave the House after his unsuccessful Senate bid. Raja Krishnamoorthi has condemned what he described as the growing normalization of anti-Indian bigotry in American public life, warning that hostility toward South Asian Americans cannot become accepted in politics.
The Illinois Democrat made the comments in a post on X on Oct. 5, responding to an Atlantic article examining the growing prominence of anti-Indian rhetoric in conservative political circles.
“Anti-Indian bigotry is being pushed from the fringes into our politics and public life. We cannot allow hatred against South Asian Americans, or any community, to become normalized,” Krishnamoorthi wrote. “Fighting hate means standing together against racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and bigotry in all its forms.”
READ: Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi condemns racist chants in Texas (June 19, 2026)
His comments come less than a month before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, in which Krishnamoorthi is not seeking another term in the House. The Indian American congressman ran for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Illinois but lost the March primary to Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.
Krishnamoorthi received 32.71% of the Democratic primary vote, compared with 40.39% for Stratton, according to Illinois election results. Stratton went on to win the Democratic nomination and will face Republican Don Tracy and independent candidate Whitfield Harrington in the November 3 general election.
Krishnamoorthi’s departure from the House shifts his political role in the 2026 midterm cycle. He has continued to use his national platform to address issues affecting Indian Americans and other South Asian communities, even as voters in his former Illinois 8th Congressional District prepare to elect his successor.
Former Democratic Rep. Melissa Bean and Republican Jennifer Davis are competing for the 8th District seat. Krishnamoorthi has represented the district since 2017.
‘Mainstreaming’ of anti-Indian rhetoric
The Atlantic article that prompted Krishnamoorthi’s response examined how anti-Indian sentiment has increasingly entered mainstream political and cultural debates.
The article focused in part on conservative activist Christopher Rufo and the controversy surrounding Texas Republican candidate Bo French, who posted an image of South Asian students at a University of Texas football game. He questioned their presence at the university.
The Atlantic described the episode as part of a broader shift in which hostility toward Indian Americans, particularly around education, immigration and professional success, has moved beyond isolated online communities and into political discussion.
The controversy has also generated discussion over meritocracy, immigration and the H-1B visa program.
Krishnamoorthi has previously rejected attempts to portray Indian Americans as a demographic or immigration problem. In September, he responded to a discussion about Indian immigration by saying Indian Americans are “as American as anyone” and arguing that the United States is based on ideals rather than ancestry.
His latest statement broadens that argument beyond Indian Americans, linking opposition to anti-Indian prejudice with resistance to antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism against other communities.
READ: Raja Krishnamoorthi condemns Bo French’s UT remarks (September 14, 2026)
Krishnamoorthi’s record on anti-Indian hate
The congressman has made rising anti-Indian and anti-South Asian hate a recurring issue during his final months in the House.
In June, Krishnamoorthi condemned racist chants directed at Indians outside a city hall in Frisco, Texas, where white supremacists reportedly shouted slogans including “Go back to India” and referred to a “Hindu takeover of Texas.” He called on Americans to stand together against prejudice regardless of religion or nationality.
In September, he also responded to a report from the Center for the Study of Organized Hate that documented a reported 240% increase in anti-South Asian hate on X. His congressional office said the report showed a sharp rise in online hostility toward the community.
The issue has therefore become part of a broader political argument for Krishnamoorthi as the 2026 midterm elections approach: whether attacks targeting Indian Americans and other minority groups should be treated as isolated incidents or as part of a wider political and cultural trend.
A different role in the 2026 midterms
Krishnamoorthi’s position in this year’s elections is notable because he is simultaneously a sitting House member, a defeated Senate candidate and a prominent Indian American voice on issues involving immigration and discrimination.
His Senate campaign was one of the most closely watched Democratic contests in Illinois before Stratton won the March 17 primary. Reuters reported that Stratton defeated 10 Democratic contenders, including Krishnamoorthi and Rep. Robin Kelly, in the race to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin.
Krishnamoorthi’s campaign also drew substantial outside spending during the primary. Capitol News Illinois reported that political action committees supporting candidates in the race spent millions of dollars before the primary, making the Senate contest one of the state’s major political battles.
Although he will not appear on the November Senate ballot, Krishnamoorthi has remained active on issues tied to the midterms.
READ: Raja Krishnamoorthi raises concerns over FBI agents at polls (October 1, 2026)
In September, he demanded answers after FBI Director Kash Patel declined to rule out the deployment of FBI agents to polling places during the November elections. Krishnamoorthi said such a possibility could raise concerns about voter intimidation and participation. He had made similar concerns public in June after reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other Department of Homeland Security personnel could potentially be deployed near polling places. His latest comments on anti-Indian bigotry therefore come at a point when his direct electoral role is changing but his national political profile remains active.
For Indian American voters and other South Asian Americans, the debate also intersects with broader questions about immigration, race, merit-based education, H-1B visas and the place of immigrant communities in American political life. With the 2026 midterms approaching, Krishnamoorthi’s remarks put those issues directly into the political conversation while he prepares to leave the House and the Illinois 8th District chooses a new representative.
Source: americanbazaaronline.com
