Pia Dandiya to Ro Khanna: The Indian-Americans who won big in the US midterm elections 2026

The 2026 US midterm elections delivered more than the usual battle for Congress and statehouses. They also produced a set of breakthroughs and commanding re-elections for Indian American candidates—some making history in states where no Indian American had held a House seat before, others cementing their place among the country’s most influential elected officials.

Indian American candidates delivered a strong showing in the 2026 US midterm elections, with victories across the House of Representatives and state-level executive offices. Here are the five winners whose victories stood out most.

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1. Pia Dandiya — A Historic Florida Breakthrough

Democrat Pia Dandiya won Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Casey Askar in a closely fought contest. The race for Dandiya with 51.85% of the vote, making her the first Indian American to represent Florida in the US House of Representatives.

A former high school principal, Dandiya’s win is one of the standout stories of the cycle because it expands Indian American representation into a state where the community had not previously held a House seat.

2. Suhas Subramanyam — A Commanding Second Term

Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat and former adviser to President Barack Obama, won re-election from Virginia’s 10th Congressional District. He defeated Republican Dave Beckwith and independent Ahsen Mujeeb Malik, securing about 63.16% of the vote in results.

Subramanyam’s victory gives him a second term in Congress and reinforces northern Virginia’s status as an important base for Indian American political leadership.

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3. Aruna Miller — Re-elected in Maryland

Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller won another term on the Democratic ticket alongside Governor Wes Moore. Miller, 61, retained her position as Maryland’s lieutenant governor in the midterms.

Her re-election is significant because it preserves Indian American representation in a senior statewide executive office, beyond Congress.

4. Pramila Jayapal — A Landslide in Washington

Representative Pramila Jayapal won re-election in Washington state’s 7th Congressional District, defeating Republican Nirav Sheth. According to results, Jayapal received 177,700 votes, or 87.5% of votes counted, while Sheth received 24,654 votes, or 12.1%.

Jayapal’s margin makes her one of the biggest winners among Indian American incumbents this cycle, and her continued presence keeps a prominent progressive voice and Kerala-rooted leader in the House.

5. Ro Khanna — Holding Silicon Valley’s 17th

Ro Khanna won re-election from California’s 17th Congressional District, defeating Republican Ritesh Tandon, according to a roundup of projected Indian American winners.

Khanna’s district includes parts of Silicon Valley, and his win maintains one of the most high-profile Indian American seats in the House.

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Why These Wins Matter

Together, these results show Indian American political influence expanding beyond established coastal and suburban strongholds. Dandiya’s Florida victory is the clearest historic breakthrough, while Subramanyam, Miller, Jayapal and Khanna demonstrated the durability of Indian American incumbents in Congress and statewide office.

The wins also came as several other Indian American candidates, including Ami Bera and Amish Shah, remained in competitive or undecided races when early results emerged.