Indian-origin candidates are seeking office across the United States in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, the polls are so called because they fall midway through a President’s four-year term
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are due for election, since members serve two-year terms.
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In the Senate, where members serve six years, 35 of the 100 seats are up for election, including special elections in Ohio and Florida.
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seats → serve → Ohio
The Indian-origin candidates are contesting from States including California, Washington, Virginia, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Ohio, New York and Maryland.
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candidates → contest → California
Their races span different levels of government, from the U.S. Congress and State executive offices to city leadership positions.
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Democratic lawmakers Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera and Suhas Subramanyam are seeking re-election to the U.S. Congress.
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Here are some of the prominent Indian-origin candidates contesting the midterm elections:
Ro Khanna
Congressman Khanna is a member of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
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His grandfather, Amarnath Vidyalankar, was a freedom fighter who was imprisoned alongside Mahatma Gandhi and later served as a Congress Member of Parliament.
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His father, a chemical engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology, and his mother, a school teacher, migrated to the United States from Punjab.
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Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Khanna studied economics at the University of Chicago before earning a law degree from Yale Law School.
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He later worked as an intellectual property lawyer with clients from the technology sector.
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A Democrat from California, Mr. Khanna is seeking re-election from California’s 17th Congressional District, which includes parts of Silicon Valley.
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He has criticised President Donald Trump’s policies as “utterly destructive”, described him as a “lame duck”, and said Democrats would prevail in the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.
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Congresswoman Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, is seeking another term from Washington’s 7th Congressional District.
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who → bear → District
In 2020, she became the second Indian-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Also read: Pramila Jayapal has a close Bengaluru connect
Ms. Jayapal traces her roots to Kerala.
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Ms. Jayapal was the first Indian-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and has represented Washington’s 7th Congressional District since 2017.
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On October 14, 2026, Ms. Jayapal voiced concern over reports about the removal of 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls in India.
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Jayapal → voice → India
The Democratic lawmaker said she supported non-violent protests against what she described as anti-democratic efforts.
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she → say → efforts
She said the developments appeared similar to attempts in the United States to undermine voting rights.
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developments → say → rights
India rejected her remarks on the Election Commission’s revision of electoral rolls, describing them as unwarranted, uninformed and an interference in the electoral practices of a fellow democracy.
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India → reject → democracy
Ami Bera
Dr. Bera, a physician and politician serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, is seeking re-election as the Democratic candidate from California’s 3rd Congressional District.
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Bera → serve → District
The son of Gujarati immigrants from Rajkot, Dr. Bera was born in the United States.
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He was the third Indian-American elected to Congress.
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His father, Babulal Bera, later pleaded guilty to illegally funding his son’s election campaigns in 2010 and 2012.
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Also read | Congressman Ami Bera’s father guilty of election crime
Dr. Bera has consistently advocated stronger India-U.S. ties.
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Bera → read → ties
He served as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans during the 114th Congress from January 2015 to January 2017.
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Suhas Subramanyam
Congressman Subramanyam, who made history by becoming the first Indian-American elected to Congress from Virginia and the East Coast in 2024, is seeking re-election.
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who → make → election
Mr. Subramanyam’s parents moved to the United States through Dulles Airport in the late 1970s.
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His mother is from Bengaluru and his father from Chennai, though he also spent part of his childhood in Secunderabad because his father served in the military.
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Mr. Subramanyam has strongly supported closer India-U.S. ties, describing India as one of the world’s most important democracies and stressing the importance of strong relations between democratic nations.
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Subramanyam → support → nations
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is running for Ohio Governor.
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Backed by President Donald Trump, Mr. Ramaswamy won the Republican primary in May and became the party’s nominee for the November election.
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A former co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Mr. Ramaswamy launched a presidential campaign in 2024 before withdrawing and endorsing Mr. Trump.
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The son of immigrants from Kerala, Mr. Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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His father, Vadakanchery Ganapathy Ramaswamy, worked as an engineer at General Electric, while his mother is a psychiatrist.
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Mr. Ramaswamy studied at Harvard University and Yale Law School before building a career in biotechnology and finance.
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He founded Roivant Sciences and served as its chief executive officer from 2014 to 2021.
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He later founded the asset management firm Strive.
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According to Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $2.5 billion.
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She spent more than a decade prosecuting members of Al Qaeda, ISIS and Mexican drug cartels.
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…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
