Top 5 PIOs in race for US Congress in midterm polls
Washington: Five prominent Indian-American politicians are in the race for the US House of Representatives when the country goes for its midterm polls on November 8. If the pollsters and opinions of political pundits are to be believed, Indian-Americans are likely to have a 100 per cent strike rate for the House of Representatives.
The four incumbents – Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal - are likely to be re-elected. All four are from the Democratic party. Adding to the so-called Samosa Caucus of Indian-Americans in the House of Representatives would be the entrepreneur and businessman Shri Thanedar, who is seeking his election from the 13th Congressional District of Michigan.
Bera, 57, the seniormost of all, is seeking his sixth term in the House of Representatives from the 7th Congressional District of California. Khanna, 46, who represents the 17th Congressional district from California, Krishnamoorthi, 49, (8th Congressional District of Illinois) and Jayapal, 57, from the 7th Congressional District of Washington State, are seeking their fourth consecutive terms.
According to political experts, all four are comfortably placed against their Republican opponents.
So does Thanedar, 67, who is seeking his maiden entry into the House of Representatives from the heavily African American portion of Detroit. If elected, he would be the fifth Indian-American in the next Congress along with Bera, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi and Jayapal.
Chennai-born Jayapal is the first ever and only Indian-American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives. During this election cycle, another Indian-American seems to be all set to create history in the State of Maryland. Aruna Miller, 57, a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, is running as Lt Governor of the State on the Democratic ticket. Political pundits say she is all set to win. In that case, she would be the first-ever Indian American to be elected to this position in Maryland.