Samosa Caucus to expand as Democrats regain US House; Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah join

Indian-American representation in the US House of Representatives is set to rise again after Democrats took control. Two new winners, Pia Dandiya and Amish Shah, are joining four re-elected Indian-American lawmakers. The informal "Samosa Caucus\" is expected to regain strength on Capitol Hill. The shift follows a nationwide election that decided control of Congress.

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Voting on Tuesday covered all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governor posts. Many other Indian-American candidates also ran for roles in state legislatures and local bodies. Democrats won both the House and the Senate, taking Congress from the Republican Party. The Congress elected on November 3 is sworn in on January 3, 2027.

Samosa Caucus lawmakers gain seats in US House of Representatives

The Samosa Caucus had earlier appeared headed for a smaller group of four members. Congressman Shri Thanedar lost the Democratic primary in Michigan. Raja Krishnamoorthi also fell short in a bid to run for the Senate from Illinois. With Dandiya and Shah entering the House, the group is set to expand again.

In Florida, Dandiya won the newly carved 22nd congressional district, an area described as a Republican stronghold. Dandiya, 39, defeated Republican Casey Askar with 51.9 per cent of the vote. Dandiya was born and raised in Palm Beach County in Florida. Dandiya worked as a teacher, then led a Harlem, New York high school.

In Arizona, Shah, an emergency room doctor, was on course to win the state’s first Congressional district. Shah had 52.6 per cent of the vote, while Republican Jay Feely had 45.4 per cent. The result was still pending because 85 per cent of votes had been counted. The race remained one of the closest Indian-American contests.

Samosa Caucus incumbents return to US House of Representatives

Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Suhas Subramanyam and Pramila Jayapal won re-election to the House. Each retained a district in a different part of the United States. Their wins ensured continued Indian-American presence in key policy debates. The four victories also set the base for the caucus to grow.

Bera, 61, won again in California’s 3rd Congressional District, defeating Republican Robb Tucker. The win gave Bera an eighth term in the House. A physician-turned-politician, Bera is the longest-serving Indian-American in Congress. Bera first won election in 2012 and took office in January 2013.

Bera was born in Los Angeles in 1965 to Gujarati immigrant parents. Bera studied in California public schools. Bera earned a bachelors degree in biological sciences and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, Irvine. Bera serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Bera is often linked to work on healthcare and diplomacy.

Khanna, 50, kept California’s 17th Congressional District, covering the centre of Silicon Valley. Khanna is completing a fifth term and is set to start a sixth in January. Khanna was born in Philadelphia to a middle-class family. Khanna’s parents moved to the United States from India in the 1970s.

Subramanyam, 40, held Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, defeating Republican Dave Beckwith. Subramanyam won over 61 per cent of the vote, against Beckwith’s share. Subramanyam earlier advised former US President Barack Obama. Subramanyam was born in Houston to Indian parents and studied at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Subramanyam was first elected to Congress in 2024 and is now set for a second term. Jayapal, representing Washington’s 7th Congressional District, secured a sixth term. Jayapal first entered Congress in 2016. Jayapal has been known for work on immigration reform and healthcare issues.

Last month, Jayapal’s criticism of India’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls led to a public rebuke. The response came from India’s ambassador to the US. The episode drew attention in both countries. It also highlighted how Indian-American lawmakers can influence debate on issues linked to India.

Samosa Caucus election ripple effects across states

Outside Congress, several Indian-American candidates faced wins and losses in state-level races. In Maryland, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, a Democrat, won another term. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy lost the governor’s race to Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy was backed by US President Donald Trump and won the Republican primary in May.

In North Carolina, Republican Mahesh Ganorkar lost in the 4th Congressional District. Democratic incumbent Valerie Foushee kept the seat. In Texas, Democrat Pooja Sethi beat Republican Jennifer Mushtaler in House District 47. Sethi became the first Indian-American and Hindu elected to the Texas state legislature.

Texas also saw Democrat Sandeep Srivastava lose a state House contest in District 66. Republican Matt Shaheen won that seat. These outcomes added to a mixed set of results for Indian-American candidates nationwide. The contests ranged from local bodies to statewide roles, alongside the federal races.

The Indian-American community in the United States is estimated at over five million people. It is the second-largest Asian-origin population in the country. With Democrats set to run both chambers, six Indian-American lawmakers are positioned to serve in the House. The new Congress begins work after the January 3, 2027 swearing-in.

With inputs from PTI