Meet the South Asian women leading at the American midterm elections

From Los Angeles to Chicago, a new generation of South Asian-origin women has made its mark on American politics during the November 3 midterms.

Many of this new breed of politicians grew up in the United States as daughters of immigrants, navigating two cultures while developing a distinctly American political voice. Others arrived as children or young adults and built careers in public service.

As political pundits have pointed out, even though many ceilings were shattered in these midterms by Democrats, these wins reflect a changing American electorate more interested in what candidates can deliver for their communities, rather than where their families originally came from.

Here, we put the spotlight on 18 female politicians of South Asian origin whose lead in the midterms reflect a demographic increasingly visible in positions of power in the US.

Rather than relying primarily on ethnic identity, these women campaigned on issues that matter across communities: inflation, housing affordability, education, healthcare, public safety and the cost of everyday living. Their South Asian heritage may have been an important part of their stories, but their political appeal extends far beyond it.

Nithya Raman
CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES | MAYOR

Kerala-born Nithya Raman, 45, delivered one of November’s most remarkable victories, defeating incumbent Karen Bass to become Los Angeles’s next mayor.

A Harvard graduate with a Master’s degree in urban planning from MIT, Raman previously worked in India on urban poverty before turning to grassroots organizing in Los Angeles. She was elected to the City Council in 2020.

She entered the mayoral race just hours before the filing deadline, and after having already endorsed Bass, who is also a progressive like Raman, for re-election. Her mayoral campaign focused on housing affordability, homelessness, public transport and improving basic municipal services.

Her victory – termed a surprising win due to the odds stacked against her – also represents a generational shift in the leadership of America’s second-largest city. In her victory video, Raman thanked Bass for her decades of service to LA.

Pramila Jayapal
WASHINGTON | SEATTLE | US HOUSE, DISTRICT 7

Chennai-born Pramila Jayapal, 61, won re-election to Congress from Seattle, extending a political career that began with her historic 2016 victory as the first South Asian-American woman elected to the US House. Since then, she has won five consecutive elections from Seattle.

The Associated Press reported her the winner of the seventh district in Washington State at 83 percent of the votes counted: with over 276,000 votes in her favor versus her Republican opponent Nirav Sheth’s 38,000 approximately.

The foregone conclusion of this election was such that, last month, satirical newspaper The Onion called it a race between “Pramila Jayapal vs. No, I’m the Real Pramila Jayapal.”

Jayapal moved to the United States at 16, studied at Georgetown University and Northwestern University, and established herself as a leading advocate for immigrant communities. A former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and one of the ‘OG’s of America’s ‘Samosa Caucus’ (a playful term referring to the collective of South Asian members serving in the US Congress), she has championed affordable healthcare, workers’ rights, immigration reform and economic equality.

Pia Dandiya
FLORIDA | PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTIES | US HOUSE, DISTRICT 22

Born and raised in Palm Beach County to Indian immigrant parents, Pia Dandiya, 39, defeated Republican Casey Askar in the newly drawn 22nd Congressional district to win a seat in the US House of Representatives, becoming the first South Asian to represent Florida in the House and the second Indian-American in the House after Pramila Jayapal.

Dandiya did her graduation from Harvard University, and her Master’s in education at Boston University. She worked in education in New York, served as a White House Fellow and subsequently worked at Apple where she led public-sector initiatives.

Dandiya’s professional experience as a schoolteacher and the principal of a high school in Harlem gave her a compelling platform to speak about the challenges facing working families. Her campaign highlighted economic opportunity, affordable living and the importance of quality education.

Nabeela Syed
ILLINOIS | NORTHWESTERN CHICAGO SUBURBS | STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 26

Nabeela Syed, 27, represents the younger generation of Indian-American political leaders making an impact at state level. In 2022, she entered the Illinois House of Representatives at just age 23, becoming one of the state’s youngest legislators. She won the re-election in 2024.

This month, she has just defeated Republican Darby Hills in Illinois’s 26th Senate District, winning approximately 57 percent of the vote in these midterms and flipping a Republican-held seat.

An Indian-American Muslim who was born and raised in the US, Syed holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked for a nonprofit before becoming a full-time legislator.

Sarahana Shrestha
NEW YORK | KINGSTON AND HUDSON VALLEY | STATE ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 103

Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sarahana Shrestha, 45, moved to the United States in 2001 as a student and became an American citizen in 2019. Before entering politics, she worked as a climate organizer, campaigning against fossil-fuel projects and advocating renewable energy.

She was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2022 after defeating longtime incumbent Kevin Cahill in the Democratic primary. Re-elected in 2024, she entered the 2026 election as the incumbent and won with 69.2 percent of the vote. Her political priorities include affordable housing, universal healthcare, climate action, public education and workers’ rights.

Pooja Sethi
TEXAS | AUSTIN AREA | STATE HOUSE, DISTRICT 47

Immigration attorney Pooja Sethi won Texas House District 47, defeating Republican Jennifer Mushtaler and becoming the first Indian-American woman elected to the Texas Legislature.

Born in the US, Sethi graduated from George Washingon University. A former chief of staff in the Texas Legislature, Sethi entered the contest with experience in public policy and government. Her campaign addressed public-school funding, gun safety, healthcare rights and opposition to discrimination.

In a state that is considered the “ground zero” for anti-South Asian hate, Sethi was targeted earlier in her campaign with racist memes and slogans, such as “Don’t Pooja my Texas.”

This November, Texas chose Pooja by 63 percent of the vote.

Manka Dhingra
WASHINGTON | REDMOND AND EASTSIDE COMMUNITIES | STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 45

Indian-American attorney Manka Dhingra, 51, won a re-election to Washington’s State Senate, continuing a political journey that began with her landmark victory in 2017, when she became the first Sikh elected to any state legislature in the United States. She was uncontested in this election.

Born in Bhopal, India, Dhingra moved with her mother to the US at the age of 13 following the death of her father. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and studied law at University of Washington. She is a cofounder of Chaya, a nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic violence among the South Asian diaspora.

A former senior deputy prosecuting attorney in King County, Dhingra also took up mental-health policy and criminal justice reform while in office.

Saba Haider
ILLINOIS | AURORA AND NAPERVILLE AREA | STATE HOUSE, DISTRICT 84

Saba Haider, 42, an Indian-American community organizer and small-business professional, won Illinois House District 84 in November 2026 with approximately 71.2 percent of the vote.

Raised in Ghaziabad, India, Haider moved to the US almost 20 years ago, and has been actively involved in county boards and student councils. She had previously contested the district in 2024 without success. In March 2026, she defeated Jared Ploger in the Democratic primary before contesting the general election against Republican Brian Scopa in the midterms.

Her campaign addressed public education, reproductive rights, healthcare affordability and economic concerns affecting suburban families.

Aruna Miller
MARYLAND | ANNAPOLIS (STATEWIDE OFFICE) | LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Aruna Miller, 62, won a second term as Maryland’s lieutenant governor alongside Governor Wes Moore.

Born in Hyderabad, India, she immigrated with her family to America at seven and studied civil engineering. She subsequently spent 25 years working in transportation planning in Montgomery County. Before assuming statewide office, Miller served in the Maryland House of Delegates, where she built her reputation around infrastructure, transport and public service.

As Maryland’s first immigrant elected to statewide office, Miller has broken significant barriers. In 2024, she was inducted to Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.

Dr Aisha Wahab
CALIFORNIA | EAST BAY, ALAMEDA COUNTY | US HOUSE, DISTRICT 14

Born in Queens, New York, to Afghan refugee parents, Aisha Wahab, 39, spent part of her childhood in foster care following the deaths of her parents. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from San José State University, an MBA from California State University, East Bay, and a doctorate in social work from the University of Southern California.

An information technology professional before entering politics, she was elected to Hayward City Council in 2018 and the California Senate in 2022. She won a special congressional election in August 2026 to replace Eric Swalwell and subsequently secured a full House term this November.

Her campaign focused on housing affordability, healthcare costs, economic inequality and government transparency. She faced substantial outside spending against her candidacy, including funding from groups linked to AIPAC, while her opponent Melissa Hernandez attracted criticism for remarks interpreted as linking Wahab to the Taliban.

Maryam Khan
CONNECTICUT | WINDSOR AND HARTFORD AREA | STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 2

Born in Pakistan, Maryam Khan, 38, moved to the United States as a child, and is now an educator based in Windsor, Connecticut. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in child psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2013 and a Master’s degree in special education from Central Connecticut State University.

She worked as a special education teacher in Hartford and served on Windsor’s Board of Education before winning a special election to the Connecticut House in 2022, followed by re-election later that year and again in 2024 – after a widely reported physical assault while attending a gathering for Eid al-Adha prayers in Hartford in 2023.

In 2026, she contested the State Senate for the first time, defeating incumbent Douglas McCrory and Ayana Taylor in the Democratic primary before defeating Republican Tim Knotts with approximately 84 percent of the general-election vote. Her policy interests include education, affordable housing, healthcare access and community services.

Priya Sundareshan
ARIZONA | TUCSON | STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 18

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Priya Sundareshan, 42, earned a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from MIT in 2006, followed by a law degree and a Master’s in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Arizona in 2011.

An environmental attorney and former University of Arizona law lecturer, she has also worked with the Environmental Defense Fund. First elected to the Arizona Senate in 2022 and re-elected in 2024, she won her third general election in November 2026, defeating Republican Douglas Everett with approximately 66 percent of the vote.

Having entered the election as the incumbent and Senate Democratic leader, her campaign focused on water conservation, renewable energy, voting rights, public-school funding, reproductive rights and the cost of living.

Kesha Ram Hinsdale
VERMONT | SHELBURNE AND CHITTENDEN COUNTY | STATE SENATE, CHITTENDEN-SOUTHEAST

Born in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish American mother and an Indian immigrant father, Kesha Ram Hinsdale, 40, earned degrees in natural resource planning and political science from the University of Vermont in 2008, followed by a Master’s in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2018.

Her fire to fight social injustices was lit at age 13, when she experienced racial profiling while walking home with a friend, and was arrested without explanation. She grew up to work in environmental advocacy, public relations, nonprofit consulting and teaching environmental justice at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Hindsale is an old hand at winning elections. First elected to the Vermont House in 2008, she won four House elections before moving to the Senate in 2020, where she subsequently won re-election in 2022, 2024 and 2026. Her policy priorities include affordable housing, economic development, childcare, environmental justice and education.

Dr Darshana ‘Darsh’ Patel
CALIFORNIA | SAN DIEGO COUNTY | STATE ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 76

Born in Pittsburg, USA, Darshana Patel, 51, is the daughter of Indian immigrants. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Occidental College and a PhD in biophysics from the University of California, Irvine.

A biotechnology research scientist who worked on therapies for cancer and other diseases, she subsequently entered public service through the Poway Unified School District board. She won school-board elections in 2016 and 2020 before securing her first California Assembly victory in 2024, making her an incumbent in these midterms.

Her campaign emphasized school funding, affordability, employment, public safety and healthcare accountability.

Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
CONNECTICUT | TRUMBULL, MONROE AND BRIDGEPORT | STATE SENATE, DISTRICT 22

Born in Queens, New York, to Indian immigrant parents, Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, 47, attended the Bronx High School of Science before graduating from Cornell University in 2001 and the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2005; she subsequently completed graduate studies at The New School in 2021.

A professor of constitutional and human rights law at Quinnipiac University, she has also worked in human rights education and juvenile justice. First elected to Connecticut’s State Senate in 2024, she was an incumbent seeking her second legislative victory in November 2026. She defeated Republican Scott Modlin with 65.4 percent of the vote.

Her political priorities include education, civil rights, reproductive rights, government accountability and access to public services.

Hanadi Nadeem
NEVADA | LAS VEGAS, CLARK COUNTY | STATE ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 34

Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hanadi Nadeem, 53, is a Pakistani-American legislator who holds a Master’s degree in English literature and an advanced diploma in linguistics. Her professional background includes education and community engagement.

First elected to the Nevada Assembly in November 2024, she entered the 2026 election as an incumbent, defeating Republican Brandon Davis in November 2026, receiving approximately 63 percent of the vote according to preliminary results.

Her legislative work includes healthcare, human services and election administration, while housing affordability and healthcare were among the issues in the district’s election debate.

Meriam Sabih
PENNSYLVANIA | LEHIGH VALLEY | STATE HOUSE, DISTRICT 131

Pakistani-American journalist and community organizer Meriam Sabih earned a Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a Master’s degree in political science from Lehigh University. A freelance journalist with more than a decade of experience, she has reported on public accountability and women’s education while raising three children.

In her first successful legislative election in November 2026, she defeated Republican incumbent Milou Mackenzie with 51.1 percent of the vote, with just 728 votes riding Sabih to sweet victory. She had lost to Mackenzie in the 2024 general election.

Her campaign focused on reducing property taxes and living costs, improving public-school funding, protecting healthcare access and ensuring that data-centre developments cover their infrastructure costs.

Janani Ramachandran
CALIFORNIA | OAKLAND | CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 4

Born and raised in California’s East Bay to Indian immigrant parents, Janani Ramachandran, 34, graduated from Stanford University in 2014 and earned her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2020.

A public-interest attorney, she previously worked with legal nonprofits, served on Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission and advocated for tenants and survivors of domestic violence. In 2022, she became the youngest person elected to Oakland City Council and its first South Asian and LGBTQ woman of color.

An incumbent seeking a second term, she ran unopposed and won re-election on November 3, 2026. Her political priorities include public safety, affordable housing, economic development, wildfire prevention and improving municipal services.

Disclaimer: Votes are still being counted and results are subject to change.