RICHMOND, Va. (Diya TV) — Suhas Subramanyam won a hotly contested Congressional seat in Virginia to become the sixth Indian American that will serve in the next session in the U.S. House of Representatives. Subramanyam, a Democrat, won the seat after a fiercely competitive campaign against Republican Mark Reed. It’s a big victory for Democrats in one of the nation’s key swing districts.
Subramanyam campaigned on issues like health care reform, climate action, and expanding education access. He has previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates. His win is reflective of the evolution of demographics and priorities within Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Loudoun and Fairfax Counties.
He campaigned throughout based on his background as an Obama administration technology policy advisor working for working families. His message was policies that address the rising cost of living, improve public schools, and more clean energy initiatives. His campaign cared greatly about health issues, particularly the expansion of access to affordable care, issues of critical concern to voters in a fast-changing district.
“This victory is not mine, but for all Virginians who wish for a better future,” Subramanyam said in his victory speech at Leesburg. “I will take your voices to Washington and fight for the issues that matter to our communities—better jobs, stronger schools, and a cleaner environment.”
The Virginia 10th District race was a tight affair, watched closely as political analysts tried to discern whether the outcome could be portended for the national landscape as a whole. In this contest, Republicans hoped they could flip the seat through suburban disillusionment with the national Democratic agenda, as Democrats focused on mobilizing the diverse electorate in northern Virginia.
Reed, the small businessman and political novice, had campaigned on jobs and smaller taxes. His campaign was based around themes of fiscal responsibility, and he attacked Subramanyam for his policies representing big government.
Reed performed well in rural areas in the district but did poorly in suburban areas where Democratic candidates have made gains in previous electoral cycles.
Subramanyam’s victory marks another step in Virginia’s gradual transition from a battleground state into one where Democrats are strengthening their position, especially in the suburban districts. His win can also be attributed to the greater tide of increased diversity within the Congress as candidates of color and immigrant backgrounds enter to represent diverse constituencies.
The future of Subramanyam will be writing the history of a Congress that is likely to enter another era of partisan stalemate, with immigration reform, infrastructure, and climate change at the top of the legislators’ agendas.
