Pia Dandiya, an Indian-American educator and former White House Fellow, is the Democratic nominee for Florida’s 22nd Congressional District in the November 3 elections.
By Geeta Goindi
October 19, 2026 – Indian-American educator, former White House Fellow and technology executive Pia Dandiya is seeking to make history as the first person of Indian origin to represent Florida in the U.S. Congress, as she runs for the state’s 22nd Congressional District seat in the November 3 midterm elections.
The Democratic nominee, whose parents immigrated to the United States from India, faces Republican businessman and Marine Corps veteran Casey Askar in a closely watched race for an open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Dandiya is making her first bid for elected office after a career spanning the public and private sectors.
Her story is rooted in the aspirations of her immigrant parents. Her father, Dr. Rohit Dandiya, pursued a career in medicine, while her mother worked in education. Originally from Jaipur, India, the couple settled in South Florida, where they raised their family.
“I was born and raised in Palm Beach County to parents from India in pursuit of the American Dream,” Dandiya states on her campaign website.
“I am running for Congress to make that American Dream more within reach for others – to lower our costs and to stand up to the corruption in DC that has big corporations and billionaires calling the shots while Floridians pay the price,” she says.
From the Classroom to the White House
Dandiya began her career teaching middle and high school students in economically disadvantaged communities.
At just 28, she became the founding principal of a high school in Harlem, New York, making her one of the youngest high school principals in the country. According to her campaign biography, 86 percent of her students came from low-income families, yet every graduate earned admission to college.
“As a principal, I learned that leadership means putting the people you serve first,” she says. “I will bring that same standard to Washington.”
She subsequently became a White House Fellow, serving with the Domestic Policy Council and the U.S. Department of Education under Democratic and Republican administrations.
Dandiya later joined Apple, where she worked with state and local governments to modernize education, healthcare and other public services through technology.
Her congressional campaign focuses on affordability, particularly the rising costs of housing, property insurance and healthcare in South Florida. She also advocates stronger public schools, expanded educational opportunities and greater government accountability.
Dandiya secured the Democratic nomination in Florida’s August 18 primary, defeating attorney Kaysia Earley. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee selected her for its Red to Blue program, which supports candidates in targeted House races.
The Indian-American Presence in Congress
Dandiya’s candidacy comes at a significant moment for Indian-American political representation in Washington. Despite the community’s growing prominence in medicine, technology, business, academia and public service, relatively few Americans of Indian origin have been elected to Congress.
Six lawmakers of Indian origin currently serve in the U.S. House of Representatives: Ami Bera and Ro Khanna of California, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, Shri Thanedar of Michigan and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia. All are Democrats.
The group is informally known as the “Samosa Caucus,” a reference to their shared Indian heritage.
Its composition is set to change following the 2026 elections. Krishnamoorthi chose to pursue a U.S. Senate seat rather than seek House reelection but lost the Democratic primary. Thanedar, meanwhile, was defeated in his congressional primary.
Their departures could reduce the number of lawmakers of Indian origin in the House unless new candidates win in November.
Among those seeking election are Dandiya in Florida and physician Amish Shah, the Democratic nominee in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.
Indian American Impact, a political organization working to increase South Asian representation in American politics, has endorsed both candidates as part of its efforts to expand the community’s presence in Congress.
Dandiya and her husband, Navneet Alag, have a son, Sahib, whose future is among the motivations she cites for entering politics.
“I am running for Congress to fight for a future worthy of my students and my son,” she says on her campaign website.
Her candidacy reflects a broader evolution in the Indian-American experience, from immigrant families building lives in America to subsequent generations seeking a voice in the nation’s political leadership. A victory on November 3 would mark another milestone in that journey.
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