WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Four Indian American Democrats who ran for reelection to the U.S. House won their races Nov. 3: Suhas Subramanyam in Virginia, Pramila Jayapal in Washington state, Ro Khanna in California and Ami Bera in California. Their victories keep them in Congress as Democrats prepare to take control of both chambers in January.
The results preserve four Indian American incumbents, but they do not represent all the Indian American lawmakers who served in the House before the election. Raja Krishnamoorthi left his seat to run for the Senate and lost the Democratic primary to Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. Rep. Shri Thanedar lost his primary to state Rep. Donavan McKinney.
Subramanyam won a second term in Virginia’s 10th District, defeating Republican Dave Beckwith with 61.4% of the vote, according to statewide results. The Northern Virginia district includes Loudoun County and many federal workers and contractors who faced job cuts and uncertainty during the past year.
Subramanyam made those workers a focus of his campaign, along with affordability and data center growth. He supports local limits on new data center development and has proposed national rules for siting facilities and making them cover more of the power and infrastructure costs they create. After the win, he wrote, “The campaign is over, but the work is just beginning.”
Jayapal won a sixth term in Washington’s 7th District, which includes much of Seattle. She defeated Republican Nirav Sheth with about 88% of the vote. Jayapal has built her congressional work around immigration reform, health care, workers’ rights and civil rights. Her district remains strongly Democratic, and her wide margin gave her a decisive win.
Khanna also won a sixth term, holding California’s 17th District in Silicon Valley. He defeated Republican Ritesh Tandon with roughly 71% of the vote. The district’s technology sector places issues such as artificial intelligence, competition and the future of manufacturing at the center of Khanna’s work in Congress.
Bera secured an eighth term, defeating Republican Robb Tucker in California’s newly drawn 3rd District. The unofficial tally showed Bera with 57.1% of the vote to Tucker’s 42.9%. Bera previously represented the 6th District, but voter-approved Proposition 50 changed California’s congressional map for this election. The new 3rd District combines parts of Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties, giving Bera a different constituency to represent when he takes office in January.
The four races differed sharply. Jayapal and Khanna won by wide margins in Democratic districts; Subramanyam carried a district with a large federal workforce; and Bera won in a redrawn seat with a more competitive electorate. Their next terms will begin as Democrats gain control of House committees and the congressional agenda, creating new opportunities for the four lawmakers to pursue their priorities and scrutinize the administration.
