Mona Das
Democrat Mona Das is the latest Indian American to declare candidacy for U.S. Congressional office.

SEATTLE (Diya TV) — Democrat Mona Das is the latest Indian American to declare candidacy for U.S. Congressional office.

The 45-year-old follows in the steps of Indian Americans Aruna Miller, Hiral Tipirneni and Anita Malik who announced their respective bids earlier this year. Das will be vying to unseat a Republican seat, being vacated by Dave Reichert, the retiring seven-term incumbent in Washington’s 8th Congressional District.

“Mona Das offers a fresh, dedicated voice for Washington’s working families. Mona’s bold, independent spirit and collaborative approach to solving tough problems is a refreshing change for voters in Washington’s 8th Congressional District,” says Das’ official campaign website.

“I am honored and excited to be running for Congress from the 8th District as a Democrat. Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option. It’s time we come together to chart a course for our future that is powerful and inclusive,” says Das on the site.

Das says she is “as comfortable speaking with tech leaders and union workers as she is with farmers and ranchers who call Central Washington home” and “believes that the people of the 8th District deserve a Congressional representative who knows that on three of our most important issues, more unites us than separates us.”

Those three issues, Das says, ate healthcare, economic development and sustaining quality of life.

The first-generation American immigrated to the U.S. when she was only eight months old. She says her family traveled to the U.S. with only $6 in their pocket and a desire to build better lives for their family.

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Das earned a BA in psychology from the University of Cincinnati and later went back to school, earning an MBA in sustainable business from Pinchot University (now Presidio Graduate School).

After serving in the tech industry for a number of years, Das launched MOXY Mortgage in 2004, a “mortgage business focused on educating and empowering first-time homebuyers.” The company is inspired by Das’ “passion for helping people who were underserved by other home loan providers.” MOXY Mortgage garnered a Five-Star Mortgage Professional Award every year since the award’s inception. It serves all 50 states.

Among the community organizations Das is involved with include the Women’s Business Exchange, Women’s Network for a Sustainable Future, Mulnomah County Advisory Committee on Sustainability & Innovation and A Social Ignition. She is a Board member on most of these organizations.