Indian-American Democrats notch early midterm wins; Dandiya leads in Florida

Washington: Indian-American Democrats recorded early successes in the US midterm elections, with Suhas Subramanyam and Aruna Miller projected to retain their positions, while Pia Dandiya moved ahead in a closely watched Florida House contest. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, however, fell behind Democrat Amy Acton in the race for Ohio governor.

Subramanyam appeared set for a second term in the House after NBC News called Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in his favour. The Democratic lawmaker, who made history in 2024 as Virginia’s first Indian-American member of Congress, led Republican Dave Beckwith by a wide margin, with independent candidate Ahsen Malik also in the race.

Across the state line in Maryland, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller secured another term as part of Governor Wes Moore’s winning Democratic ticket. Their victory over the Republican slate headed by former state delegate Dan Cox keeps Miller in one of the country’s most prominent state executive offices.

In South Florida, Democrat Pia Dandiya, a former school principal, was leading Republican Casey Askar in the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. With nearly all expected votes counted, Dandiya held a narrow but meaningful advantage in a race seen as important to the battle for control of the House. She was later projected to win the seat despite boundary changes designed to favour Republicans.

Ohio’s gubernatorial contest remained unsettled, but Acton, a physician and former state health director, held a clear early lead over Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump. The two were competing to replace term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine.

Elsewhere, Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts was projected to win re-election, ending the challenge from independent Indian-American candidate Shiva Ayyadurai and Republican John Deaton. In Georgia, Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff was projected to defeat Republican Congressman Mike Collins.

Indian-American Democrat Jyot Singh held an early advantage over Republican Yassin Moghazy in a Georgia state House race, though counting was still under way. Results were also awaited for Republican Mahesh Ganorkar in North Carolina and Democrat Pooja Sethi in Texas.

The elections, held halfway through President Trump’s second term, will decide control of the 435-member House, 35 Senate seats, numerous governorships, state legislatures and local offices.

(Inputs from IANS)