Washington (United States): Indian-origin candidates have recorded a mixed performance in the US midterm elections, with Democrats Pia Dandiya, Suhas Subramanyam and Aruna Miller securing projected victories, while Republican Vivek Ramaswamy continued to trail in the closely watched Ohio governor’s race.
Dandiya won Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Casey Askar, according to projections by Decision Desk HQ and CBS News. NBC News also projected her victory, with the Democrat leading 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent, with around 97.6 percent of the expected vote counted.
The victory marks a significant breakthrough for Dandiya, a former high school principal who contested from a newly redrawn South Florida constituency. Her campaign focused on affordability and economic opportunities.
Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal congratulated Dandiya, saying she was excited to welcome the third South Asian American woman to the House of Representatives.
Subramanyam, Miller secure re-election
Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam has secured another term in the US House of Representatives, with NBC News projecting his victory in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.
The latest figures showed Subramanyam securing 61.4 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Dave Beckwith’s 36.5 percent, with around 88.7 percent of the expected vote counted. He also faced independent candidate Ahsen Malik.
Subramanyam, who became Virginia’s first Indian-American member of Congress in 2024, entered the House in 2025. The victory gives him another two-year term.
In neighboring Maryland, Indian-origin Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller has also secured re-election. NBC News projected the victory of Democratic Governor Wes Moore, with Miller retaining her position as his running mate on the party’s ticket.
Miller’s re-election ensures the continuation of Indian-American representation in a key state executive office.
Ramaswamy trails in Ohio governor’s race
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is facing a tough contest in Ohio, where Democratic candidate Amy Acton has maintained a lead in the gubernatorial election.
According to the latest NBC News figures, Acton secured 54.3 percent of the vote against Ramaswamy’s 42.8 percent, with around 46 percent of the expected vote counted. Approximately 2.2 million votes had been tallied.
The network said the race was still too early to call, adding that Ramaswamy would need to secure 53.5 percent of the remaining vote to overtake Acton.
Ramaswamy, a biotechnology entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, had received the backing of US President Donald Trump and outgoing Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. He is seeking to succeed DeWine, who cannot contest again because of term limits. Acton, a physician and former Ohio health director, is the Democratic nominee.
Other Indian-origin candidates: Mixed results and races pending
Several other Indian-origin candidates are also in the electoral contest, with outcomes varying across states.
– Shiva Ayyadurai: The independent Indian-American candidate suffered a defeat in Massachusetts, where Democratic Senator Ed Markey was projected to win re-election. Republican John Deaton was also in the contest.
– Mahesh ‘Max’ Ganorkar: Republican Ganorkar lost to Democratic Representative Valerie Foushee in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, according to NBC News projections. Foushee secured a commanding lead.
– Jyot Singh: The Democratic candidate held a strong lead over Republican Yassin Moghazy in Georgia’s House District 97. However, the race had not been officially called.
– Pooja Sethi: The Democratic candidate is contesting Texas House District 47 against Republican Jennifer Mushtaler. A conclusive result was awaited.
– Saritha Komatireddy: The Republican candidate is challenging Democratic incumbent Letitia James for the post of New York Attorney General. Results were awaited.
– Amish Shah: The Democratic candidate is contesting Arizona’s 1st Congressional District against Republican Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker. The result was pending.
Meanwhile, several high-profile races involving Indian-origin candidates were yet to be decided as counting continued.
In California, Democratic Congressmen Ro Khanna and Ami Bera are seeking re-election. Khanna is contesting against Indian-American entrepreneur Ritesh Tandon, while Bera is defending his seat in the state’s 3rd Congressional District.
In Washington’s 7th Congressional District, Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is seeking another term against Republican challenger Nirav Sheth, who was born in Gujarat and formerly served in the US Marine Corps.
Urban planner and Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman is also contesting the city’s mayoral election. A victory would mean that two of the largest US cities, New York and Los Angeles, would have Indian-origin mayors. New York is currently led by Zohran Mamdani.
The November 3 midterm elections will determine control of the US House of Representatives and Senate during the final two years of Trump’s second presidential term. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are being contested, alongside governorships and state and local offices.
The early results have brought encouraging victories for Indian-origin Democrats, while the Ohio contest remains a major test for Ramaswamy and several other races involving Indian-American candidates are still awaiting final outcomes.