US midterms 2026: Three Indian Americans win; Ramaswamy trails in Ohio governor race
Synopsis
Three Indian-American Democrats — Pia Dandiya, Suhas Subramanyam, and Aruna Miller — claimed wins in the 2026 US midterms even as Republican Vivek Ramaswamy trailed significantly in Ohio's governor race. The results cement a growing Indian-origin footprint in American politics while delivering a setback to Ramaswamy's post-presidential-run political ambitions.
Key Takeaways
Pia Dandiya won Florida's 22nd Congressional District , defeating Republican Casey Askar per CBS News projection.
Suhas Subramanyam won re-election in Virginia's 10th Congressional District , succeeding his 2024 historic first as the state's first Indian-American member of Congress.
Aruna Miller secured another term as Maryland Lieutenant Governor after Governor Wes Moore 's re-election.
Vivek Ramaswamy trailed Democrat Amy Acton 42.8% to 54.3% in Ohio with roughly 46% of votes counted; the race was uncalled at that point.
Keisha Lance Bottoms was projected to become the first Black woman elected governor in US history after winning in Georgia .
Democrats gained a Republican-held Senate seat in North Carolina as part of broader national shifts.
Three Indian-American Democrats were projected to win election or re-election in the US midterm elections on 4 November 2026, even as Republican Vivek Ramaswamy trailed Democrat Amy Acton in Ohio's closely watched governor's race. The results underscored a growing presence of Indian-origin candidates across the American political landscape, on both sides of the aisle.
Indian-American Wins: Florida, Virginia and Maryland
Pia Dandiya claimed victory in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Casey Askar, according to a CBS News projection. The win handed Democrats a newly redrawn South Florida seat and added another Indian-American woman to the US Congress. Dandiya, a former school principal and White House fellow whose parents immigrated from India, built her campaign around education, affordability, and economic opportunity.
In Virginia, Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam won re-election from the state's 10th Congressional District, defeating Republican Dave Beckwith and independent candidate Ahsen Malik, with NBC News projecting the outcome earlier in the evening. Subramanyam, who became Virginia's first Indian-American member of Congress in 2024, outlined a second-term agenda centred on protecting federal workers, lowering the cost of living, addressing healthcare cuts, and introducing safeguards for artificial intelligence and data centres. 'The campaign is over, but the work is just beginning. I look forward to working with our community to deliver change in Washington,' he said in a campaign statement.
In Maryland, Indian-American Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller secured another term after Democratic Governor Wes Moore defeated Republican Dan Cox. CBS News projected Moore's re-election shortly after polls closed.
Ramaswamy Trails in Ohio
The fortunes of Vivek Ramaswamy — biotechnology entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump — presented a contrasting picture. Ramaswamy, seeking to succeed term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine, trailed Democrat Amy Acton as counting progressed. With approximately 46 per cent of the expected vote counted around 9 pm, Acton held 54.3 per cent against Ramaswamy's 42.8 per cent, according to an NBC News results snapshot. The contest had not been called at that stage, though Acton's lead had narrowed as the count continued.
Key Races Nationally
In a historic development, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, won Georgia's governor's race, defeating Republican Rick Jackson, per a CBS News projection at 9:29 pm. Bottoms is set to become the first Black woman elected governor in American history, ending more than two decades of Republican control of Georgia's governorship. In Florida, Republican Congressman Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly in the governor's race, according to a Politico election-night alert, succeeding term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis.
Nationally, Democrats gained a Republican-held Senate seat in North Carolina, where former Governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won re-election in Georgia, and Chris Pappas captured New Hampshire's Senate seat.
Indian Americans in State Contests
Indian-American candidates also registered encouraging leads in several state legislative races. In Georgia, Democrat Jyot Singh led Republican Yassin Moghazy in House District 97, with unofficial results showing Singh on 10,176 votes against Moghazy's 4,226 as counting continued. In Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent Arvind Venkat led Republican Libby Blackburn in House District 30 in partial returns. In Illinois, Democratic state Representative Nabeela Syed was ahead of Republican incumbent Darby Hills in Senate District 26. In North Carolina, Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee was projected to defeat Indian-American Republican Mahesh Ganorkar in the 4th Congressional District.
The midterm results reinforce a broader trend of Indian-origin candidates contesting — and winning — across diverse geographies and party lines, a pattern that has accelerated since the 2020 election cycle. How the balance of power ultimately settles in Congress will determine the legislative landscape ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle.
Point of View
Well-funded candidate with national name recognition underperformed significantly in a state Republicans have held comfortably. That gap — over 11 percentage points with nearly half the vote counted — suggests the Ramaswamy brand, burnished in presidential primary politics, did not translate cleanly to a statewide executive contest. For Indian-origin observers, the midterms offer a split screen: quiet, constituency-level wins by Democrats on one side, and the limits of celebrity-driven Republican candidacies on the other.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian Americans won in the 2026 US midterm elections?
Three Indian-American Democrats were projected to win: Pia Dandiya in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, Suhas Subramanyam in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, and Aruna Miller as Maryland's Lieutenant Governor after Governor Wes Moore's re-election.
How is Vivek Ramaswamy doing in the Ohio governor race?
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy was trailing Democrat Amy Acton by a significant margin — 42.8% to 54.3% — with approximately 46% of the expected vote counted around 9 pm on election night. The race had not been officially called at that stage.
Who is Pia Dandiya and why is her win significant?
Pia Dandiya is a former school principal and White House fellow whose parents immigrated from India. Her win in Florida's 22nd Congressional District adds another Indian-American woman to the US Congress and delivers Democrats a newly redrawn South Florida seat.
What is historic about the Georgia governor race result?
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, was projected to defeat Republican Rick Jackson, making her the first Black woman elected governor in American history. Her win also ends more than two decades of Republican control of Georgia's governorship.
How did Indian-American candidates fare in state legislative races?
Indian-American candidates showed mixed but broadly positive results in state races. Democrat Jyot Singh led in Georgia's House District 97, Arvind Venkat led in Pennsylvania's House District 30, and Nabeela Syed was ahead in Illinois's Senate District 26. In North Carolina, however, Indian-American Republican Mahesh Ganorkar was projected to lose to Democratic Congresswoman Valerie Foushee.
