RICHMOND, Virginia (Diya TV) — The Virginia state legislature will have two Indian Americans in its body for the first time ever. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi unseated Republican incumbent Virginia state Senator Glen Sturtevant to become the first Indian American and first Muslim woman elected to the state Senate. A former community college professor, Hashmi will represent the state’s 10th Senate District.
Democrat Suhas Subramanyam defeated GOP opponent Bill Drennan for Virginia’s 87th House District. Subramanyam is a small business owner and former White House technology policy advisor to President Obama.
These victories were part of a surge by the Democratic Party in Virginia, who successfully flipped the balance of power in the legislature.
San Francisco’s interim public defender Manohar Raju won his first election overwhelmingly.
In North Carolina, incumbent Dimple Ajmera won a convincing re-election to Charlotte’s City Council.
The 19th Surgeon General of the United States and Wellness Advocate Dr. Vivek Murthy has teamed up with actor and activist Maulik Pancholy to fight bullying in the Asian American Community by joining the anti-bullying nonprofit Act To Change inaugural Advisory Council.
Ravi Kapur contributed to this report.
