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Texas woman claiming to run faces backlash over anti-India posts
The posts drew criticism online, with users accusing Kelly Smith of promoting anti-India stereotypes and targeting immigrants in Texas.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 09, May 2026
- 15:53 EDT
- 50
Kelly Smith / X/ @KellyIsRightTX
A Texas woman who claims to be running for governor as a write-in candidate has drawn widespread criticism after posting remarks on social media that many users described as anti-India and offensive toward the Indian community in the state.
Kelly Smith shared an AI-generated image of herself dressed in Indian attire against a temple-style backdrop, accompanied by a post mocking Indian Americans and Hindu cultural practices.
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“Because people from India have claimed to be just as American as me, I’ve decided to become Indian,” Smith wrote. “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 temple.”
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.… pic.twitter.com/MX4PBw3Nn6
— Kelly for Texas (@KellyIsRightTX) May 6, 2026
The post quickly triggered backlash online, with several users accusing Smith of promoting racist stereotypes. However as criticism mounted, Smith defended the post and escalated her remarks in a follow-up message.
“You guys are getting SO offended by a joke photo of me grilling burgers which is what TEXANS do,” she wrote. “Imagine how Texans feel about you guys not respecting it here in real life. Texans are tired of seeing India stores pop up on every corner, every new shopping center around here is Indian!! This isn’t INDIA! It’s insulting to us.”
You guys are getting SO offended by a joke photo of me grilling burgers which is what TEXANS do.
— Kelly for Texas (@KellyIsRightTX) May 8, 2026
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 ,… https://t.co/4sMucopP3t pic.twitter.com/j9V6arVvfE
Smith also referenced Indian religious practices and accused Indians of “not respecting” Texas culture, comments that further fueled criticism on social media.
One user responded by pointing out the diversity within India’s population and faith communities. “Yes! You can in fact be an Indian Christian,” the user wrote. “In fact, the Indian Christian population, which loves steak, is about the same proportion of India’s population as Hindus are in America.”
Another user wrote: “We have another uninformed person jumping on the anti-Indian sentiment bandwagon.”
A separate comment sarcastically listed academic and professional achievements commonly associated with Indian Americans, including spelling bee victories, high SAT scores, STEM careers and startup success.
Smith describes herself as a lifelong Texan from Cedar Hill and says she plans to run as a write-in candidate in the Texas governor’s race this November. Write-in candidates do not appear on printed ballots and must have their names manually entered by voters.
On her fundraising page, Smith says: “I believe in America, and I believe Texas belongs to Texans.” She also describes her campaign as “a long shot.”
Her fundraising effort has reportedly received limited support so far, while critics accused her of using inflammatory anti-India rhetoric to gain attention online.
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