Ami Bera, the son of Indian immigrants and the longest-serving Indian American in the United States Congress, has won an eighth term in the US House of Representatives, defeating Republican Robb Tucker in California's newly redrawn 3rd congressional district. Bera's return to Washington comes at a moment of measurable strain in US-India relations, placing him — as ranking member on the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence — at the centre of the bilateral dynamic.

A Redrawn Seat, A Familiar Victory

Bera has represented Sacramento County continuously since 2013, making him the longest-serving Indian American currently in Congress. This cycle, he ran under California's post-redistricting map in the 3rd district rather than his previous constituency, yet retained the electoral coalition that has sustained him through eight consecutive wins. His campaign raised approximately $1.5 million in the 2026 cycle and held around $1.7 million in cash on hand as of 14 October 2026, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

His Stance on US-India Tensions

Bera has been a consistent voice on issues that directly affect the Indian American community and India-US ties. After the Trump administration announced a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, Bera — who had led a five-member congressional delegation to India in September 2025 — was sharply critical. 'I think this was a poorly thought through policy… Much lower fees of $1,000 to $4,000 were much more appropriate,' he said at the time. He warned the levy could backfire: 'Instead of creating American jobs, a tech company might say, let me just expand my presence in Hyderabad or Bangalore.'

At a December 2025 congressional hearing, he reiterated that the H-1B fee 'disadvantages our companies.' When the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil — bringing the cumulative rate to 50 per cent — Bera called for direct dialogue. 'If President Trump were to ask me what to do, I'd say pick up the phone and call Prime Minister Modi,' he said, also questioning why comparable duties were not applied to China: 'Again ill-thought through, not consulted with Congress.'

India-Pakistan and Regional Security

Following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and the military clashes that ensued, Bera drew a clear distinction between India and Pakistan, while calling for de-escalation. 'At the end of the day, it really is India and Pakistan deciding as two nuclear nations, we've got to de-escalate this,' he said. His office also issued a formal statement condemning the Pahalgam attack. He had earlier attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to Congress in June 2023, and became co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans in 2015 — the first Indian American to hold that role.

Voting Record and Political Positioning

Bera is the most centrist of the three Indian American Democrats re-elected on Tuesday. Voteview's DW-NOMINATE scores rank him 190th most liberal among House Democrats. He voted with the majority of his party approximately 97 per cent of the time on roll calls from January 2025 to mid-September 2026, according to House Clerk records, and missed the fewest votes — roughly 10 — among the three Indian American Democrats. He broke with colleagues Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal on several national security votes, including backing the 2026 defence authorisation bill and a resolution describing Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism. He voted alongside both colleagues on Iran war-powers resolutions, Ukraine aid, and against the Republican reconciliation bill.

Background and Community Ties

Bera's parents emigrated from Rajkot, Gujarat. He attended public schools through medical school and earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of California, Irvine. He practised medicine for 20 years, serving as chief resident in internal medicine at California Pacific Medical Center. A member of the New Democrat Coalition, his stated priorities include health care affordability, the Sacramento region, and national security. He also marks Diwali on Capitol Hill annually. With a solidified majority and senior committee positions intact, Bera is poised to remain one of Washington's most prominent interlocutors on US-India affairs.