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A Texas woman running for Governor election is facing intense online scrutiny after she shared an AI image wearing traditional wear against the backdrop of a temple.
A Texas woman running for Governor has stoked anti-India sentiments to ramp up her campaign(Image: X@KellyIsRightTX)A Texas woman running for Governor, Kelly Smith, is now facing intense online scrutiny after she stoked anti-India sentiments with her social media post, which has now gone viral.
In the post, Kelly Smith can be seen wearing Indian attire against a temple backdrop and wrote on X, "Because people from India have claimed to be just as American as me, I’ve decided to become Indian. My new name is Pria; however, I will be eating hamburgers at Temple and wearing shoes because I can’t give up my Texan culture. I’m just as Indian as y’all, my new name proves it. In fact, we should all become Indian and grill some steaks at the temple."
Kelly Smith's anti-India stance
As her artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image went viral, drawing major backlash from the Indian community, which has already become a target in the state, Smith, in another post, wrote, "You guys are getting SO offended by a joke photo of me grilling burgers, which is what TEXANS do. Imagine how Texans feel about you guys not respecting it here in real life. Get off your high horse. True Texans are raised to respect our nature and not litter. Putting milk, statues, and fruit in our lakes is far more insulting to us than some stupid AI photo. Texans are tired of seeing Indian stores pop up on every corner; every new shopping center around here is Indian!! This isn’t INDIA! It’s insulting to us." Along with the post, she shared an image of Indians in Dallas celebrating Chhath Puja.
This isn't Smith's first post highlighting her anti-India stance. From reposting tweets that suggest visas for all Indians and Africans should be repealed to sharing videos of New Zealanders protesting against Sikhs, she has made her stance very clear. Reposting the New Zealand protest, where a local group confronted a Sikh community procession and used banners like "This is New Zealand, not India," Smith wrote, "Apparently, Texans aren’t the only ones tired of it."
Kelly Smith runs for Texas Governor
Smith, who is reportedly running in the Texas Governor's election this November, has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe. According to her fundraiser, Kelly Smith has declared herself a write-in candidate for change. A write-in candidate is one whose name does not show up on the printed ballot, and voters are required to manually write it in. As of May 9, she has raised $920 and received 14 donations.
Smith, who is aware that her contesting the election is a long shot, wrote on her fundraiser page, "My name is Kelly Smith, and I’m a lifelong Texan. I grew up in Cedar Hill. I believe in America, and I believe Texas belongs to Texans. Let’s band together, and I will add my name to the ballot for Governor as a write-in this November. It’s a long shot, but Texas is worth saving."
However, it looks like she has chosen a sure-shot way of getting her campaign noticed by using anti-India sentiment. This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up its crackdown on immigrants and underscored the need to apparently give Americans their jobs back, which immigrants are reportedly taking over.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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