Washington: For the first time, six Indian Americans have won seats in the House of Representatives in the United States elections, up one from the current Congress.
Besides the Presidency, elections were also held for the Congress and the Senate.
Indian-American lawyer Suhas Subramanyam became the first from the community to be elected from the state of Virginia, and indeed the entire East Coast, reported PTI.
Subramanyam, currently a Virginia State Senator, defeated Mike Clancy of the Republican Party.
“I am honoured and humbled that the people of Virginia’s 10th District put their trust in me to take on the toughest fights and deliver results in Congress. This district is my home. I got married here, my wife Miranda and I are raising our daughters here, and the issues our community faces are personal to our family. It is an honour to continue serving this district in Washington,” Subramanyam was quoted as saying by PTI.
Subramanyam is a known face among the Indian-American community, having earlier served as a White House Advisor to President Barack Obama.
Subramanyam will join five Indian Americans — Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar – in the Congress. Referred to as the ‘Samosa Caucus’, all five of them were re-elected to the House of Representatives.
The tally of Indian Americans in House of Representatives may swell to 7 if Amish Shah wins against Republican incumbent in the First Congressional District of Arizona.
Krishnamoorthi, who won the seventh Congressional District of Illinois for the fifth consecutive term, was “honoured” that people extended his contract to represent them in Congress.
“My parents came to this country with little more than a dream for their family’s future and the faith that they could achieve it here in America. Despite some hard times, we did,” said Krishnamoorthi.
“My mission in Congress is to fight for all the other families that are pursuing their dreams, no matter where they come from, how they worship, or the number of letters in their names… there are 29 in mine,” Krishnamoorthi added.
Bera, a physician by profession, was re-elected for the seventh consecutive term. She is the seniormost Indian-American Congressman who represents the sixth Congressional District of California since 2013.
THE SUPER SIX
* Suhas Subramanyam – Elected from 10th Congressional District, Virgina
* Shri Thanedar — Re-elected from 13th Congressional District, Michigan
* Raja Krishnamoorthi – Won 5th consecutive term from seventh Congressional District, Illinois
* Ro Khanna – Re-elected from 17th Congressional District, California
* Pramila Jayapal – Re-elected from 7th Congressional District, Washington State
* Dr Ami Bera — Won 7th consecutive term from 6th Congressional District, California.