Pia Dandiya Wins Florida US House Seat, Joins Indian-American Women in Congress

Pia Dandiya, an Indian-American Democrat, earned a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Florida, defeating Republican Casey Askar in the 22nd Congressional District. In the US midterm elections, she received 51.9% of the vote to Askar’s 49.1%.

Dandiya’s victory makes her the first Indian American elected to the US House from Florida. According to reports, she is also the most recent Indian-American woman elected to Congress and the tenth Indian American to serve in the United States Congress.

Dandiya previously worked as a high school principal and has experience in education, public policy and technology. Her election brings another Indian-American representative to the US Congress, while Democrat Suhas Subramanyam has also secured another term representing Virginia.

Pia Dandiya Makes History With Florida Election Win

Dandiya was born to Indian parents who immigrated to the United States. She grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida, and began her professional career as a teacher before progressing to school leadership.

At the age of 28, she became the founding principal of a high school in Harlem, New York. She later founded a school to provide low-income pupils with greater educational options and a road to financial independence.

According to her campaign website, 86% of the children at the school were from low-income households. Despite this, every graduate received an admission to college.

Dandiya had originally planned to run against Republican Brian Mast in Florida’s 21st Congressional District. Mast leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

She eventually relocated her campaign to the 22nd District, a newly constituted electorate as a result of redistricting. The seat was not being contested by any sitting representatives.

Her victory garnered praise from Indian American Impact. Executive Director Chintan Patel stated that the district was one of the most contested for Democrats and congratulated Dandiya on capturing it for the party.

The organization also stated that it has been supportive of her campaign since its inception.

Pia Dandiya Victory Comes Alongside Suhas Subramanyam Win

Suhas Subramanyam, another Indian-American Democrat, was re-elected from Virginia’s 10th Congressional District to the US House.

The 40-year-old defeated Republican opponent Dave Beckwith, who garnered 36.4% of the vote, with almost 61.5% of the votes cast.

In the past, Subramanyam advised former US President Barack Obama. He was born to Indian parents in Houston and became interested in public service while attending Tulane University in New Orleans.

During his academic years, he helped organize volunteers to assist Hurricane Katrina-affected regions. He eventually became a policy adviser on Capitol Hill, where he worked on issues such as healthcare access, immigration reform, and legislation that benefited veterans, older people, and working families.

Subramanyam joined Obama’s White House as a technology policy consultant after receiving an honors law degree from Northwestern University.

He then established a small company in Loudoun County, Virginia, and served as a volunteer emergency medical technician and fireman.

His political career included being elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2019 and serving two terms. He eventually joined the Virginia State Senate before winning his first US House race in 2024.

Dandiya’s victory in Florida and Subramanyam’s re-election in Virginia have put two Indian-American Democrats in the spotlight in the current US election results. While Dandiya is joining Congress from a state that has never elected an Indian American to the House, Subramanyam will continue to serve Virginia’s 10th district.