Americans are heading to vote today in the high-stakes 2024 presidential showdown between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump. In this 60th presidential poll, nine Indian Americans are running for the US House of Representatives. While, five of them are in a re-election bid, three are new contenders in the political ring.
Suhas Subramanyam, 38, who could become the first Indian American elected from Virginia and the East Coast. Subramanyam, a Virginia State Senator, is running in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold with a large Indian American population. A former White House advisor under President Obama, Subramanyam is
Another prominent figure is Pramila Jayapal, 59, who has represented Washington’s 7th District since 2017. Jayapal has established herself as a powerful voice within the Democratic Party, and her re-election is almost assured.
Three other Indian American incumbents who are very likely to be re-elected include: Raja Krishnamoorthi in Illinois’s 7th District, Ro Khanna in California’s 17th District, and Shri Thanedar in Michigan’s 13th District. All four of these districts are considered Democratic strongholds.
Dr. Ami Bera, the longest-serving Indian American in Congress, has represented California’s 6th Congressional District since 2013. The 59-year-old physician is expected to gain a senior leadership position if the Democrats secure a majority in the House.
An emergency room physician, Dr. Amish Shah, is running for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District after winning three consecutive elections in the Arizona State Assembly in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Shah is up against seven-term Republican incumbent David Schweikert in a closely watched race.
Two Republican Indian Americans are also in the race. Dr. Prasanth Reddy is challenging three-term Democrat Sharice Davids in Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District, while Dr. Rakesh Mohan is running for the House from New Jersey’s 3rd District. Both face slim chances of victory in their respective districts.
Historically, Dalip Singh Saund became the first Indian American elected to Congress in 1957, representing California’s 29th District for three terms. Decades later, Bobby Jindal served in the U.S. House from Louisiana in 2005, followed by two terms as Louisiana’s Governor. This election cycle sees another generation of Indian Americans aiming to leave their mark in U.S. politics.
(With inputs from PTI)
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