Daijiworld Media Network - Florida

Florida, Nov 4: Indian-American Democrat Pia Dandiya has won the election to the US House of Representatives from Florida's 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican candidate Casey Askar in a closely contested race.

Dandiya, a former high school principal, secured 51.9 per cent of the votes, while Askar received 49.1 per cent, according to election results declared on Tuesday.

Her victory marks a significant milestone for the Indian-American community, as she becomes the first Indian American to be elected to the US House of Representatives from Florida. She is also the 10th Indian American to serve in the US Congress.

Born to parents who migrated from India, Dandiya initially planned to challenge Republican Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in Florida's 21st Congressional District. However, she later shifted her campaign to the 22nd Congressional District, a newly created constituency following redistricting, where no incumbent was contesting.

Congratulating her on the victory, Chintan Patel, Executive Director of Indian American Impact, said Florida's 22nd District was among the most competitive constituencies for Democrats and that Dandiya had successfully turned it blue.

The organisation said it had supported her campaign from the beginning and congratulated her on the electoral victory.

Dandiya is a first-generation American who has worked as a teacher, high school principal, policy leader and technology innovator. Born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida, she began her career in education before serving as a high school principal in Harlem, New York.

She later founded a high school aimed at providing better opportunities for students from low-income families and helping them achieve economic independence. At the age of 28, she became the school's founding principal. According to her campaign website, all graduates of the institution secured college admissions, despite 86 per cent of its students coming from low-income households.

Meanwhile, Indian-American Democrat Suhas Subramanyam has also secured re-election to the US House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th Congressional District.

Subramanyam, 40, won more than 61.5 per cent of the votes, defeating Republican challenger Dave Beckwith, who received 36.4 per cent.

Born in Houston to Indian parents, Subramanyam developed an interest in public service while studying at Tulane University in New Orleans. He helped organise volunteers to rebuild communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.

He later worked on Capitol Hill as a policy aide, focusing on healthcare access, immigration reform and legislation aimed at improving employment opportunities and funding for veterans, senior citizens and working families.

After completing his law degree with honours at Northwestern University, Subramanyam served as a White House technology policy adviser under former US President Barack Obama.

He subsequently established a small business in Loudoun County and also volunteered as an emergency medical technician and firefighter.

Subramanyam entered electoral politics in 2019 after being elected to the Virginia General Assembly, where he served two terms. He later became a member of the Virginia State Senate before winning election to the US House of Representatives in 2024.