US Midterms 2026: Indian Americans win big; Amish Shah leads in Arizona
Synopsis
The 2026 US Midterms delivered a landmark night for Indian-American candidates — with wins from Florida to California and a razor-close Arizona race still uncalled. But the headline result was Vivek Ramaswamy's defeat in Ohio, where the Trump-backed Republican fell to Democrat Amy Acton by roughly five points, ending his most ambitious electoral bid yet.
Key Takeaways
Pia Dandiya won Florida's 22nd Congressional District with approximately 52% of the vote, defeating Republican Casey Askar .
Dr Amish Shah led Arizona's 1st Congressional District race with 54.9% against Republican Jay Feely's 43.2% , with 76% of votes counted and no winner yet projected.
Vivek Ramaswamy lost the Ohio Governor's race to Democrat Amy Acton , who took approximately 51% against Ramaswamy's 46% .
Saritha Komatireddy lost the New York attorney general's race to incumbent Letitia James , who led with approximately 62% of the vote.
Suhas Subramanyam , Pramila Jayapal , Ro Khanna , and Aruna Miller all secured re-election in their respective contests.
The 3 November 2026 midterms will decide control of the 435-member House and 35 Senate seats , at the halfway point of President Donald Trump's second term.
Indian-American candidates scored a string of victories in US congressional and state elections on 3 November 2026, with Democrat Dr Amish Shah holding a commanding lead in a closely contested Arizona House race. The results, still being tallied in some districts late into the night, underline the growing electoral footprint of the Indian-American community across both parties — even as two high-profile Republican candidates, Vivek Ramaswamy and Saritha Komatireddy, fell short in their statewide bids.
Key Victories Across States
Pia Dandiya, a former school principal whose parents immigrated from India, defeated Republican Casey Askar in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, securing approximately 52 per cent of the vote to Askar's 48 per cent. Her win adds another Indian-American woman to the US House of Representatives.
In Virginia, Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam won re-election from the 10th Congressional District, defeating Republican Dave Beckwith. 'The campaign is over, but the work is just beginning. I look forward to working with our community to deliver change in Washington,' Subramanyam said following his win.
On the West Coast, Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal was projected to retain Washington state's 7th Congressional District, defeating Republican Nirav Sheth. In California, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna won re-election in the 17th Congressional District, defeating Republican Ritesh Tandon. Fellow Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera led Republican Robb Tucker by approximately 60 per cent to 40 per cent in the redrawn 3rd District, though that contest had not yet been called.
In Maryland, Aruna Miller secured another four-year term as lieutenant governor after Democrat Wes Moore won re-election as governor.
Amish Shah's Lead in Arizona
Indian-American physician and former state lawmaker Dr Amish Shah was leading Republican Jay Feely in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, covering Scottsdale and parts of metropolitan Phoenix. Decision Desk HQ showed Shah receiving 54.9 per cent against Feely's 43.2 per cent, with approximately 76 per cent of the expected vote counted. No winner had been officially projected as of late returns. A Shah victory would add another Indian-American Democrat to Congress.
Notable Defeats: Ramaswamy and Komatireddy Fall Short
The most prominent defeat came in Ohio, where Trump-backed Republican Vivek Ramaswamy lost the Governor's race to Democrat Amy Acton. Acton received approximately 51 per cent against Ramaswamy's 46 per cent in late returns, ending what had been one of the most watched statewide contests of the cycle.
In New York, Republican Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, lost the attorney general's election to Democratic incumbent Letitia James, who led with approximately 62 per cent of the vote. Other defeats included Republican Mahesh Ganorkar in North Carolina, independent Sandeep Dixit in Ohio, and independent Anil Kumar in a Michigan congressional contest.
State Legislative Wins
At the state legislative level, Democrat Arvind Venkat won re-election in Pennsylvania's House District 30, while Ram Villivalam retained Illinois Senate District 8. In Illinois Senate District 26, Indian-American Democrat Nabeela Syed led Republican incumbent Darby Hills by approximately 57 per cent to 43 per cent, with more than 95 per cent of estimated votes counted, though the race remained uncalled.
In Georgia, Democrat Jyot Singh led Republican Yassin Moghazy by approximately 68 per cent to 32 per cent in House District 97. In Texas, Democrat Pooja Sethi declared victory in House District 47.
What These Midterms Mean
The 3 November midterm elections are set to determine control of the 435-member House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats, alongside governorships and state legislative offices. The contests come at the halfway point of President Donald Trump's second term, making them a pivotal referendum on the administration's direction. The scale of Indian-American electoral participation across both parties — in offices ranging from Congress to state legislatures — signals a deepening civic presence that is reshaping competitive districts from Florida to California.
Point of View
Running competitively under both party banners from Arizona to New York. Yet the results also expose a ceiling: Ramaswamy's loss in Ohio, despite Trump's backing and a national profile, suggests that identity alone does not convert into statewide victory in a polarised environment. The more quietly significant story may be the state-legislative sweep — Venkat, Villivalam, Syed, Singh, and Sethi winning or leading across Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, and Texas — which is where long-term policy influence is actually built. Mainstream coverage fixates on the Congressional headline races; the bench being built one state house seat at a time deserves equal attention.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian-American candidates won in the 2026 US Midterm elections?
Among the projected winners were Pia Dandiya in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, Suhas Subramanyam in Virginia's 10th, Pramila Jayapal in Washington state, Ro Khanna in California, and Aruna Miller as Maryland's lieutenant governor. Several others won or led in state legislative races across Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, and Texas.
What is the status of Amish Shah's race in Arizona?
Democrat Dr Amish Shah was leading Republican Jay Feely in Arizona's 1st Congressional District with 54.9% against Feely's 43.2%, with approximately 76% of the expected vote counted as of late returns on 3 November 2026. No winner had been officially projected at the time of reporting.
Why did Vivek Ramaswamy lose the Ohio Governor's race?
Vivek Ramaswamy, the Trump-backed Republican candidate, received approximately 46% of the vote against Democrat Amy Acton's 51% in late Ohio returns, losing the governor's race. The result ended one of the most closely watched Indian-American candidacies of the 2026 cycle.
What is at stake in the 2026 US Midterm elections?
The 3 November 2026 midterms determine control of the 435-member House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats, as well as governorships and state legislative offices. They serve as a midterm referendum on President Donald Trump's second term.
Who is Saritha Komatireddy and how did she perform?
Saritha Komatireddy is a former federal prosecutor who ran as a Republican for New York attorney general. She lost to Democratic incumbent Letitia James, who led with approximately 62% of the vote in that race.
