Another Indian-American launches US Presidential bid: Who is Hirsh Vardhan Singh

In a three-minute-long video post on X, the platform known as Twitter until recently, Singh spoke about Republican talking points that have gathered steam lately, casting doubts about “experimental” vaccines, the threats to the “free” ethos of America, “schools being centres of indoctrination”, etc. He also called former US President Donald Trump “the greatest President of my lifetime,” but added that “America needs more”.

I’m entering the race for President.https://t.co/OEHCSYOdvK pic.twitter.com/RyxW4sKMSW

— Hirsh Vardhan Singh (@HirshSingh) July 27, 2023

Who is Hirsh Vardhan Singh?

Born to Indian immigrant parents, Singh has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2009, according to AIR news. Singh has gained attention for referring to himself as the “only pureblood candidate” due to his refusal to receive the Covid-19 vaccinations and has been described as “Trump on steroids”.

According to a profile on his website, he has worked as an engineer and federal contractor. He is described as a “Magnet for conservatives, libertarians. Indian-, Filipino-, Hispanic-, and Black-American voters.” But compared to other Republican candidates, his announcement has come at a later time and he doesn’t yet enjoy the same level of national recognition, with limited media coverage so far.

At the same time, Singh is a part of the larger trend of the Indian-American community’s rising political aspirations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also referenced this in his state visit to the US last month, mentioning the ‘Samosa Caucus’ in a speech to the joint sitting of the United States Congress. The term is sometimes used to refer to the informal grouping of Indian-origin Americans in Congress.

“There are millions here, who have roots in India. Some of them sit proudly in this chamber. There is one behind me, who has made history!” Modi said, referring to Vice President Kamala Harris. There are, at present, five US Representatives with Indian roots. A sixth, Vice President Harris, is the leader of the Senate. All are Democrats.

As a New York Times report from February 2023 notes, most Indian American voters are Democrats and it is questionable how much of their support the Republican Indian-origin candidates would be able to muster. It adds that in the past when Indian Americans have run as Republicans, they have rarely talked much about their family histories.

Singh has frequently alluded to his surname translating to the word lion, with his campaign symbol also showing a lion’s head.

What are the electoral prospects of Hirsh Vardhan Singh at present?

His political journey includes previous attempts to secure the Republican Party’s nomination for New Jersey governor in 2017 and 2021, a House seat in 2018, and a Senate position in 2020, but he was unsuccessful in those endeavours.

During his most recent bid for the governorship, Singh positioned himself as a more conservative option closely aligned with Trump. However, he ultimately came in third for the nomination.

According to FiveThirtyEight, an American website that focuses on opinion poll analysis and politics, as of the end of July 2023, Trump was leading the pack among Republican voters with around 52 per cent of Republican supporters favouring him. In second place was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s ally-turned-rival, with around 15 per cent of the vote. Ramaswamy was third, with 6.8 per cent. Singh is, therefore, a long-shot candidate.

When will the Republican candidate for the 2024 Presidential elections be chosen?

Notably, the race for the Republican Party’s nomination also includes Trump, who remains a prominent contender despite facing legal challenges. The Republican National Convention, scheduled to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from July 15 to 18, 2024, will play a crucial role in formally selecting the party’s next presidential nominee.

Here, other members of the party will vote in their preference for the party’s official candidate. A similar system exists for the rival Democratic Party, although with US President Joe Biden’s decision to seek re-election, it is unlikely to see a new candidate emerge victorious.

(With PTI inputs)