What is the story about?
On the morning of 3 November 2026, voters in Ohio will choose between a biotech entrepreneur born in Cincinnati to parents from Kerala and a doctor who
ran the state’s health department during the pandemic. Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid for the governor’s mansion is the most watched Indian American contest of this year’s midterms, but it is far from the only one. From Silicon Valley to the Arizona desert, the children and grandchildren of Indian immigrants are on ballots up and down the country. Their stories say as much about modern America as they do about the diaspora. Some are seasoned incumbents and others are challengers, and they sit on both sides of a deeply divided political map.
Vivek Ramaswamy: Can The Entrepreneur Win Ohio
Ramaswamy, 41, made his fortune founding the pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences before running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He has also built a following as an author, with 'Woke, Inc'. and 'Nation of Victims' setting out his case against corporate activism and grievance politics.
He swept the Republican primary for governor in May with more than 82 per cent of the vote, backed by Donald Trump and, eventually, the outgoing governor, Mike DeWine. His Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, is a former director of the Ohio Department of Health who would become the state’s first woman governor if she wins. Independent polls through October gave Acton a narrow lead of around four to five points, though one Republican-commissioned survey put Ramaswamy ahead, and most forecasters still rate the race a toss-up.
Ro Khanna: Silicon Valley’s Progressive Voice
In California’s 17th district, which takes in much of Silicon Valley, Ro Khanna is seeking a sixth term in the House. Born in Philadelphia to parents who emigrated from Punjab, he has become one of the most prominent progressive voices in Congress and serves as a vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
His book 'Progressive Capitalism' argues that the gains of the technology economy should reach towns far from the Bay Area. Whoever wins his race, the district will be represented by an Indian American, because his opponent is one too.
Ritesh Tandon: The Republican Taking On Khanna
Ritesh Tandon is Khanna’s Republican challenger. An engineer and the chief executive of Kricel Corporation, he moved to the United States from India at the age of 28. His candidacy turns the 17th district into an all-Indian American contest. He faces a steep climb in a seat that has re-elected Khanna at every election since 2016.
Pramila Jayapal: The Chennai-Born Trailblazer
Pramila Jayapal, born in Chennai, was the first South Asian American woman elected to Congress. She represents Washington’s 7th district around Seattle and is seeking re-election. Her memoir 'Use the Power You Have' traces her journey from immigrant to activist to lawmaker. She remains one of the best-known figures on the left of the Democratic Party.
Ami Bera: The Doctor With The Longest Tenure
Ami Bera, a physician, represents California’s 6th district in the Sacramento area. He is the longest-serving Indian American currently in Congress. First elected in 2012, he is defending his seat as a Democrat. He is one of four Indian American members of the House seeking re-election this year.
Suhas Subramanyam: Virginia’s First-Term Congressman
Suhas Subramanyam was elected to the House from Virginia’s 10th district in 2024. Before reaching Congress, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates and then the state Senate. This is his first re-election campaign. The district lies in Northern Virginia, within commuting distance of Washington, DC.
Amish Shah: The Emergency Doctor Facing An Old Colleague
In Arizona’s 1st district, emergency physician and former state representative Amish Shah is running against the former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who has Trump’s endorsement. The two men share a curious history. When Feely kicked for the New York Jets in 2008 and 2009, Shah worked on the team’s sidelines as its airway management physician, ready to treat players with catastrophic injuries. More than fifteen years later, they meet again as rivals for the same seat.
Pia Dandiya: From Classroom To Campaign Trail
In Florida’s 22nd district, the Democrat Pia Dandiya is a former teacher, school principal and White House fellow. She faces the Republican Casey Askar. She is one of the Indian American challengers hoping to win a House seat this year, alongside Tandon and Shah. A win would make her only the second Indian American woman in the next House, after Jayapal.
Saritha Komatireddy: The Prosecutor Who Wants New York’s Top Legal Job
Further down the ballot, Saritha Komatireddy is the Republican nominee for attorney general of New York. A former federal prosecutor and former chief of staff at the Drug Enforcement Administration, she is taking on the Democratic incumbent, Letitia James.
James has been one of the most prominent state attorneys general in the country, which makes this one of the most closely followed down-ballot races in New York. Alongside Ramaswamy, Komatireddy is one of two Indian American Republicans running for statewide office.
Aruna Miller: Maryland’s Hyderabad-Born Lieutenant Governor
Aruna Miller, born in Hyderabad, is seeking another term as Maryland’s lieutenant governor. She is only the second woman to hold the office. When she won in 2022, she became the first immigrant woman of colour elected statewide in Maryland. Her re-election would extend that milestone into a second term.
Nithya Raman: Los Angeles City Councillor Eyeing The Mayor’s Office
In Los Angeles, Nithya Raman is challenging the incumbent mayor, Karen Bass. The race is officially non-partisan. Raman won a seat on the city council in 2020 and has built her profile on housing and homelessness. Victory would make her the first person of South Asian heritage to run America’s second-largest city.
The Indian American Lawmakers Who Will Not Return
Not every Indian American lawmaker made it to November. In March, Raja Krishnamoorthi gave up his safe House seat in Illinois to run for the Senate and lost the Democratic primary to Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, despite spending more than $27 million on television advertising. “Obviously, this is not the result we sought,” he told supporters.
In August, Shri Thanedar of Michigan lost his Detroit-area primary to the progressive challenger Donavan McKinney. Their exits mean the number of Indian Americans in the House could fall from six to four, unless Shah or Dandiya wins a seat.
Why The Races Matter Beyond America
For Indians watching from home, the appeal of the contests goes beyond who wins. They show how far a community once defined by doctors, engineers and motel owners has travelled into public life, and how differently its members see the country they live in. By Wednesday morning, voters in Ohio, California and beyond will have decided which of them gets the chance to put those ideas into practice.
