What Usha Vance’s rise to prominence means to other South Asian and Hindu Americans

Usha Chilukuri Vance, entered the spotlight this week as the wife of JD Vance, former President Trump’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Her rise comes at a time when, across the aisle, there’s another prominent figure of South Asian descent: Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first woman and person of color in her role.

During its primaries, the Republican Party also saw increased South Asian representation with presidential candidates including Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley and Tulsi Gabbard.