Indian-American leaders won congressional, state and local elections in the 2026 midterms, marking significant gains in political representation across the United States.
By Geeta Goindi
WASHINGTON, November 10, 2026 – Indian-American candidates scored significant victories in the 2026 midterm elections, winning six seats in the US House of Representatives, capturing key state and local offices, and expanding their representation in legislatures across the country.
Two congressional newcomers, Pia Dandiya of Florida and Dr. Amish Shah of Arizona, became the first people of Indian origin elected to the US House from their respective states. Four incumbents – Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, Ami Bera and Ro Khanna of California, and Pramila Jayapal of Washington – secured new terms.
Beyond Capitol Hill, Kerala-born Nithya Raman won the Los Angeles mayoral race, Aruna Miller secured another term as Maryland’s lieutenant governor, and two Indian-American lawmakers reached the highest leadership positions in their respective state legislative chambers: Ranjeev Puri in Michigan and Priya Sundareshan in Arizona.
Pia Dandiya Makes History in Florida
Pia Dandiya, a 39-year-old educator, former White House Fellow and technology executive, defeated Republican Casey Askar in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, securing approximately 52 percent of the vote.
Born and raised in Palm Beach County to parents who immigrated from India, Dandiya began her career teaching students in economically disadvantaged communities. At 28, she became the founding principal of a high school in Harlem, New York, where every graduate earned admission to college, according to her campaign biography.
Amish Shah Wins Historic Congressional Victory in Arizona
In Arizona, Dr. Amish Shah, an emergency medicine physician and former state legislator, defeated Republican Jay Feely in the closely watched 1st Congressional District, becoming the first person of Indian origin elected to Congress from the state.
Shah became the first Indian-American elected to the Arizona legislature in 2018. The son of immigrants from Gujarat, he has emphasized healthcare affordability, bipartisan cooperation and economic opportunity throughout his political career.
Four Congressional Incumbents Win Re-election
In Virginia, Suhas Subramanyam won a second term in the 10th Congressional District, defeating Republican Dave Beckwith by a commanding margin.
The 40-year-old Democrat, a former White House advisor to President Barack Obama, made history in 2024 as the first Indian-American elected to Congress from Virginia and the East Coast.
In California, Dr. Ami Bera, a physician and veteran lawmaker, secured an eighth term in the 3rd Congressional District, defeating Republican Robb Tucker.
First elected in 2012, Bera is the longest-serving Indian-American currently serving in Congress and an influential voice on healthcare, foreign affairs and India-US relations.
Fellow California Democrat Ro Khanna won a sixth term representing the 17th Congressional District, which includes much of Silicon Valley.
Khanna defeated Republican Ritesh Tandon, another candidate of Indian origin. He serves as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.
In Washington state, Pramila Jayapal secured a sixth term representing the 7th Congressional District, which includes much of Seattle.
Born in India, Jayapal became the first Indian-American woman elected to the US House in 2016. A leading progressive voice, she has championed immigration reform, healthcare access and workers’ rights.
Aruna Miller Re-elected Maryland Lieutenant Governor
In Maryland, Aruna Miller secured another four-year term as lieutenant governor alongside Democratic Governor Wes Moore.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Miller immigrated to the United States at age seven. Her election in 2022 made her the first Indian-American woman elected lieutenant governor in the country, as well as the first immigrant and first woman of color elected to statewide office in Maryland.
A civil engineer and former state legislator, Miller placed her hand on the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture, while taking the oath of office in January 2023.
Nithya Raman Makes History in Los Angeles
In California, Nithya Raman, a 45-year-old urban planner and City Council member, defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, becoming the first Indian-American and first Asian-American elected to lead America’s second-largest city.
Born in Kerala, Raman immigrated to the United States at age six. A graduate of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she later worked with underserved communities in New Delhi and Chennai to improve housing, sanitation and access to essential services.
Her campaign focused on housing affordability, homelessness and the rising cost of living.
Following her victory, Raman declared, “Los Angeles, I am deeply honored to be your next mayor.”
Ranjeev Puri Elected Michigan’s First Indian-American House Speaker
In Michigan, Ranjeev Puri, a Sikh American Democrat, became the first Indian-American elected Speaker of the state House of Representatives.
Puri won re-election from District 24 before being chosen by his Democratic colleagues on November 5 to lead the chamber for the 2027–2028 legislative term.
The son of immigrants from Punjab, Puri became the first Sikh American elected to the Michigan House in 2020. He subsequently rose to House Democratic leader, paving the way for his historic elevation to the speakership following the Democrats’ return to the majority.
Priya Sundareshan Chosen as Arizona’s First Indian-American Senate President
In Arizona, Priya Sundareshan, a Democratic state senator representing District 18, was selected on November 6 to become president of the Arizona Senate, marking a historic milestone for Indian-American political representation.
Her elevation follows the Democrats’ victory in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature, giving the party control of the state House, Senate and governor’s office for the first time in 60 years.
Born and raised in Tucson, Sundareshan graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in chemical engineering. She subsequently earned a law degree and a master’s in natural resource economics from the University of Arizona.
First elected to the state Senate in 2022, she rose to Senate Minority Leader before being chosen to lead the chamber when the new legislative session begins in January 2027.
Indian-Americans Win State Senate Races Across the Country
In Maryland, Democrat Amar Mukunda, a military veteran and entrepreneur, won election to the state Senate from District 39, representing parts of Montgomery County, including Germantown.
The son of immigrants and a Montgomery County native, Mukunda graduated from Amherst College and earned a graduate degree from Stanford University. A combat engineer in the US Army Reserve, he previously ran a gun-violence prevention program in Maryland.
In Illinois, Nabeela Syed, a rising Democratic leader, defeated Republican incumbent Darby Hills in the 26th State Senate District, flipping a Republican-held seat.
Syed first made history in 2022 when she was elected to the Illinois General Assembly at age 23, becoming its youngest female member at the time. After winning re-election to the state House in 2024, she successfully sought a Senate seat.
In North Carolina, Democratic State Senator Jay Chaudhuri won another term in District 15, defeating Republican David Bankert.
Chaudhuri became the first Indian-American elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Indian immigrant parents, he has served as Senate Minority Whip since 2019.
In Vermont, Democratic State Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale secured re-election from the Chittenden Southeast District.
Born in California to an Indian immigrant father and a Jewish American mother, Ram Hinsdale entered politics at an early age, winning a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives in 2008 at 22.
She later became the first woman of color elected to the Vermont State Senate and was chosen as Senate Majority Leader by her colleagues in 2024.
In New York, Democrat Lisa Kaul defeated two-term Republican incumbent Rob Rolison in the 39th State Senate District.
Born in India, Kaul grew up in different parts of the country because of her father’s service in the Indian Army. A Delhi University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, she earned a doctorate in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oxford.
Fellow New York Democrat Jeremy Cooney secured another term representing the Rochester area’s 56th State Senate District.
Born in Kolkata and adopted as an infant by a single mother in Rochester, Cooney became the first Asian-American elected to state office from upstate New York in 2020. He serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
In Minnesota, Democratic pediatrician Dr. Krish Subrahmanian won election to the state Senate from District 49, encompassing Eden Prairie and southern Minnetonka.
Born in St. Paul to Indian immigrant parents, Subrahmanian graduated from Harvard University, studied at the University of Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and earned his medical degree from Stanford University.
In Connecticut, Democratic State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox secured another term representing District 22.
Jyot Singh Makes History in Georgia
In Georgia, Democrat Jyot Singh became the first Sikh American and first person of Indian origin elected to the state legislature, defeating Republican Yassin Moghazy in House District 97.
Raised in Norcross by working-class immigrant parents, Singh began working at age 15 to help support his family. A graduate of Gwinnett County public schools, he attended Yale University on a full scholarship, earning a degree in Global Affairs.
Reflecting on his election, Singh said, “It means the world to have the chance to be the first Sikh American elected to the Georgia state legislature. Communities like ours often get left out of the conversation.”
Pooja Sethi Wins Historic Texas Legislative Victory
In Texas, Democrat Pooja Sethi defeated Republican Jennifer Mushtaler in House District 47, becoming the first Indian-American woman and first Asian-American Democratic woman elected to the Texas Legislature.
Reflecting on her victory, Sethi wrote on social media, “But making history is an honor. Making a difference is the responsibility.”
She pledged to advocate for stronger public schools, affordable healthcare and improved infrastructure.
She pledged to advocate for stronger public schools, affordable healthcare and improved infrastructure.
Her victory came amid racist and anti-Indian rhetoric targeting both her candidacy and the broader Indian-American community, drawing national attention during the campaign.
Saba Haider Wins Illinois House Seat
In Illinois, India-born Democrat Saba Haider won election to the state House of Representatives from District 84.
Originally from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Haider earned a master’s degree in Wildlife Science from Aligarh Muslim University, where she was a gold medalist.
Her campaign focused on issues affecting families in suburban communities including Naperville, Aurora and Oswego.
Praneet Menon Wins Vermont Legislative Seat
In Vermont, India-born Praneet Menon won election to the state House of Representatives from the two-member Orleans-Lamoille District, in an unusual contest that saw him appear on both Republican and Democratic ballots.
Menon advanced through both parties’ August primaries, securing the Democratic nomination through write-in votes.
He moved to the United States at age 16 and earned an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. A resident of Coventry, he has served on municipal and school boards.
Other Indian-American Legislative Victories
In California, Democratic Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Darshana Patel secured new terms representing Districts 25 and 76, respectively.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic State Representative Dr. Arvind Venkat, an emergency physician, won re-election from District 30.
Nearly seven decades after Dalip Singh Saund became the first person of Indian origin elected to the US Congress in 1957, the community’s political representation continues to expand.
From Capitol Hill to state legislatures and city halls, the 2026 midterms brought a new generation of Indian-American leaders into public office.
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