Indian-origin Democrat Pia Dandiya wins Florida House seat
Dandiya secured 51.9 per cent of the vote to become the first Indian-American elected to the US House from Florida.
Indian-origin Democrat Pia Dandiya won the race for Florida's 22nd Congressional District in the US midterm elections, according to reports from Times of India, The Tribune and Rediff. Dandiya defeated Republican candidate and Marine veteran Casey Askar in the contest held on Tuesday.
Dandiya received 51.9 per cent of the votes, while Askar polled between 48.1 and 49.1 per cent. Her victory makes her the first Indian-American elected to the US House of Representatives from Florida and the 10th Indian-American to join the US Congress.
The newly redrawn district covers parts of Palm Beach, Broward, Hendry and Collier counties. Chintan Patel, Executive Director of Indian American Impact, stated that Dandiya turned a highly competitive district blue and congratulated her on the win.
A former educator, Dandiya previously worked as a teacher and a high school principal in Harlem. Her professional background also includes serving as a White House Fellow and working at Apple.
The November 3 elections occur during President Donald Trump's term and will decide the balance of power in the US Congress. The results will determine if Republicans keep control of both chambers or if Democrats gain control.
