The "Samosa Caucus" - a group of Indian-Americans in the US Congress - is likely to gain another member next year following Suhas Subramanyam's victory in the Virginia Democratic primaries. Subramanyam emerged as the Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives in a constituency that covers some suburbs of Washington.
On a different note, in the New Jersey primaries last week, Indian-American Rajesh Mohan secured the Republican ticket for a House seat, but he faces a tough challenge due to the constituency's strong Democratic leanings. Currently, there are five Indian-Americans in the House of Representatives, all Democrats and part of the "Samosa Caucus": Ami Bera and Ro Khanna from California, Pramila Jayapal from Washington State, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, and Shri Thanedar from Michigan.
Subramanyam, a State Senator, triumphed over 11 other contenders in a contentious race where his main opponent faced allegations of sexual harassment. Supported by the outgoing House member Jennifer Wexton, Subramanyam secured a comfortable victory, making the seat a safe bet for the Democratic Party.
Hailing from Bengaluru, Subramanyam, a 37-year-old lawyer, previously served as President Barack Obama's technology advisor focusing on cybersecurity and government modernization. Additionally, he has experience as a volunteer medic and firefighter. Mohan, who defeated three Republican rivals, is set to compete for a House seat currently held by a Democrat. The incumbent, Andrew Kim, successfully defended the seat in 2022 with 55% of the vote.
Despite Mohan's medical background as a cardiologist with a degree from Delhi University College of Medical Sciences, the race is deemed a solid or safe Democratic hold by various ratings surveyed by Ballotopedia. In contrast, in New Jersey, the Mayor of Hoboken, Ravinder Singh Bhalla, lost the Democratic Party primary for a House seat to Rob Menendez. Senator Bob Menendez, the father of the current representative, is facing corruption charges.
Nevertheless, Menendez ran a contentious campaign against Bhalla, a turban-wearing Sikh, accusing him of unethical dealings. Susheela Jayapal, the sister of prominent Representative Pramila Jayapal, also faced defeat in the Democratic primary for a seat in Oregon.
Pramila Jayapal leads the Congressional Progressive Caucus and represents a district in Washington State. Her sister Susheela, a former county commissioner in Oregon, was among several left-leaning candidates who encountered challenges in the Democratic primaries.