Indian-American Lawmakers Seek Reelection While Community Backs Wider Slate of Candidates

Four Indian-American congresspeople—Ro Khanna of California’s 17th district, Pramila Jayapal of Washington’s 7th, Ami Bera of California’s 3rd, and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia’s 10th—are seeking reelection in the November 3 midterm contests. Their community’s political action committee, Americans4Hindus, is extending endorsements beyond incumbents, backing Democrats such as James Walkinshaw in Virginia and Suzan DelBene in Washington, as well as Republican candidates like Jenny Rae Le Roux in California and Senator James Risch.

Two other Indian-origin lawmakers, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar, were eliminated in primaries, which could lower the number of Indian-American seats from six to four. The elections will determine which party controls Congress and influence the president’s legislative agenda, while also featuring high-profile races such as Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid for Ohio governor and Sarita Komatireddy’s challenge for New York attorney general. Community leaders stress the need for unity and broader issue focus to maintain political relevance.