Indian Americans are on course to retain six seats in the US House of Representatives, matching their all-time record, after five Democratic candidates from the community secured victories on Tuesday, 5 November 2026, and Arizona physician Amish Shah held a lead in a race that remained uncalled as of Wednesday night local time. The result defies earlier projections of a shrinking Indian American bloc in the House.

Key Results at a Glance

The five confirmed winners are: Ro Khanna in California's 17th District, Ami Bera in California's 3rd, Pramila Jayapal in Washington's 7th, Suhas Subramanyam in Virginia's 10th, and newcomer Pia Dandiya in Florida's 22nd District. All five are Democrats. If Shah's lead holds in Arizona's 1st Congressional District — where he led Republican Jay Feely by roughly 53% to 45% with about 85% of the expected vote counted — the caucus will equal its record of six.

The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) had already listed Shah among the winners in a release circulated on Wednesday, though no major news organisation's decision desk had officially projected the race as of Wednesday evening local time. Maricopa County was still counting ballots.

Who Is In, Who Is Out

Two veteran members will not return to the 120th Congress. Raja Krishnamoorthi gave up his Illinois House seat to contest the Senate, losing the March 17 Democratic primary, while Shri Thanedar lost his Michigan primary on August 4. The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) thanked both departing members 'for their years-long service.'

Their departures opened the door for Dandiya and, potentially, Shah. Notably, both newcomers ran in seats held by the opposing party or redrawn through redistricting — precisely where the broader Democratic wave created openings for the community.

Dandiya's Historic Florida Win

Pia Dandiya defeated Republican Casey Askar by approximately 52% to 48% in the redrawn 22nd District with about 99% of the vote counted. CBS Miami described her as the first South Asian American to represent Florida in Congress, and CAPAC called her 'the first Indian American woman elected to represent Florida's 22nd Congressional District.' She is the second Indian American woman and the third South Asian American woman elected to Congress. Jayapal, posting on X, described her as 'the third South Asian American woman (along with me and @aishabbwahab)' heading to the House. In her own post on X, Dandiya wrote: 'Thank you #FL22!! I am humbled and honoured to represent my home state... Now, the real work begins!'

Askar had lent his own campaign about $2.3 million, finishing with roughly $1.9 million in cash on hand before election day, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Dandiya, by contrast, raised about $689,000 in the final FEC reporting period and had about $735,000 in cash.

Incumbents Win Comfortably

All four returning members won by wide margins, averaging about 71% of the vote combined. Khanna, co-chair of the House India Caucus and the best-funded Indian American in Congress with roughly $17 million cash on hand as of September 30 per his FEC filing, beat fellow Indian American Republican Ritesh Tandon by about 72% to 28% — Tandon's fourth consecutive loss to Khanna. Jayapal took about 88% against Indian American Republican Nirav Sheth. Bera, the longest-serving Indian American in the House, beat Republican Robb Tucker by roughly 60% to 40%. Subramanyam won a second term by approximately 63% to 35% over Republican Dave Beckwith.

In both Indian-American-vs-Indian-American matchups — Khanna against Tandon and Jayapal against Sheth — the Democrat prevailed by a large margin. Every Republican and independent Indian American on the federal ballot lost.

The Bigger Democratic Wave

The community's results closely tracked the national outcome. Democrats are projected to have won the House, with 231 seats called for Democrats and 144 for Republicans as of Wednesday morning — a net Democratic gain of 29 seats, according to NBC projections. Democrats are also projected to retake the Senate 54 to 44, with Mississippi and Alaska still uncalled. That means the Indian American delegation will serve in the House majority for the first time since Democrats lost the chamber in the 2022 midterms.

Indian American representation in Congress traces back to 1957, when Dalip Singh Saund became the first Indian-born member of the House. The community first reached six House seats in the 2024 elections. If Shah's lead holds, the 120th Congress will match — but not exceed — that milestone.