Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Suhas Subramanyam retain congressional seats, while Pia Dandiya makes her debut in the US Congress; Republican Vivek Ramaswamy suffers defeat
Indian-American politicians made a strong showing in the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections, with several Democratic candidates securing victories in congressional and state-level contests. The results underline the growing political influence of the Indian-origin community in American public life.
Among the prominent winners were Democratic Congressmen Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Suhas Subramanyam and Pramila Jayapal, who retained their seats in the US House of Representatives. Pia Dandiya also secured a notable victory, winning Florida’s 22nd Congressional District and entering Congress for the first time.
Bera won California’s 3rd Congressional District, extending his tenure as one of the longest-serving Indian-American members of Congress. Khanna retained California’s 17th District, while Subramanyam secured a second term representing Virginia’s 10th District. Jayapal won her sixth term from Washington’s 7th Congressional District, continuing her presence in national debates on immigration, healthcare and civil rights.
Dandiya defeated Republican candidate Casey Askar with 51.9 per cent of the vote, marking an important milestone for the Indian-American community in Florida.
-
The newly elected Congress is scheduled to take office on January 3, 2027
-
The victories across several states further strengthen the visibility and representation of Indian-Americans in US politics
Other Indian-origin Democrats also registered victories. Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller secured re-election, while Amish Shah won Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. Nithya Raman won the Los Angeles mayoral election, defeating incumbent Karen Bass, according to subsequent election reports.
However, the results were not favourable for all Indian-American candidates. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy lost the Ohio gubernatorial contest to Democrat Amy Acton. Republican Mahesh Ganorkar also suffered defeat in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District.
The wider election outcome was a major setback for President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, with Democrats winning control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The results give Democrats greater influence over legislation and congressional oversight during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
