New Delhi

Indian-origin Americans make their mark in Congress, state legislatures and local government, while Michigan’s newly elected Muslim Senator Abdul El-Sayed has an interesting India connection through his wife’s family in Karnataka.

While five Indian-origin Democrats have secured victories in the US House of Representatives, in the midterms others have won elections to state legislatures and local offices. Among the prominent winners are Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and India-born Nithya Raman, who has defeated incumbent Karen Bass to become the next mayor of Los Angeles.

Another name drawing attention is Abdul El-Sayed, the Democrat who defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's Senate race. El-Sayed is not of Indian origin, but his wife, Dr Sarah Jukaku, comes from a family with roots in Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district.

El-Sayed has also spoken publicly, sometimes humorously, about his connection with Indian culture after nearly two decades of marriage into a South Indian family.

"My wife is desi," he told a largely Pakistani-American gathering marking Pakistan's Independence Day on August 23, using a term commonly used for people of South Asian heritage. The people of South Asian descent are referred to as desi in the US.

In another interview, he spoke about how familiar he had become with South Indian culture. "Listen, I've been married in a South Indian family for 20 years, like… I am well inducted now I… you know, I might be more Indian than I am Arab," he said.

His wife, Sarah, was born and raised in Michigan to parents of Indian origin. Her family traces its roots to Bhatkal. Her father, Dr Tayeb Jukaku, is a nephrologist who studied medicine in Bengaluru before moving to the United States in the 1980s

Her grandfather, Jukaku Shamshuddin, was a prominent lawyer and political figure who served as deputy finance minister in the erstwhile Mysore State under Chief Minister B.D. Jatti. He is remembered in Bhatkal for his public service and contribution to the town's development.

El-Sayed's victory has another historical significance: he becomes the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

Nithya Raman becomes Los Angeles mayor

One of the most prominent victories involving an India-born politician came from Los Angeles, where Indian-born Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.

Raman, 45, was a member of the Los Angeles City Council before entering the mayoral contest. Bass conceded the election on November 5 after the latest vote count showed Raman securing 52.1 per cent against her 47.9 per cent.

Los Angeles, I am deeply honored to be your next mayor. I just spoke with Mayor Bass and expressed my deepest gratitude for her leadership and decades of service. Los Angeles would not be the city it is today without her. I love this city. I believe in its people. The work ahead will be hard, and change will take time. And together, we are going to build a future as extraordinary as the city we call home. Thank you, LA. Let’s get to work.

— Nithya Raman (@nithyavraman) November 5, 2026

Born in Kerala in 1981, Raman moved to the United States with her family when she was six. She graduated from Harvard University and later earned a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Her victory makes her the first South Asian mayor of Los Angeles and the first challenger in more than two decades to defeat a sitting mayor in the city

With New York already having a mayor of South Asian descent, Zohran Mamdani, the election has brought two of America's largest cities under the leadership of politicians with South Asian roots who are associated with the Democratic Socialists of America.

Five Indian-origin lawmakers in the US House

The Indian-American community, estimated to number more than five million, has steadily expanded its presence in American public life. The latest elections have further strengthened that representation, with four sitting Democratic lawmakers retaining their seats and a new Indian-origin member preparing to enter Congress.

Ami Bera: An eighth term in Congress

Physician-turned-politician Amerish Babulal "Ami" Bera, 61, has won an eighth term in the US House of Representatives from California's 3rd Congressional District, defeating Republican Robb Tucker.

Bera was born in Los Angeles to Gujarati immigrant parents. He earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, Irvine.

Before entering Congress, he served as chief medical officer for Sacramento County from 1999 to 2004 and held an academic position at the UC Davis School of Medicine.

First elected in 2012, Bera has been involved in legislative work relating to healthcare, foreign policy and US-India relations. He serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Suhas Subramanyam: A second term from Virginia

Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, 40, has retained Virginia's 10th Congressional District, winning a second term by defeating Republican Dave Beckwith.

Born in Houston, Texas, Subramanyam is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has worked with technology startups and founded his own business. He previously served as a technology policy adviser at the White House during former President Barack Obama's administration.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Tulane University and a law degree from Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law. He lives in Loudoun County, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda Pena Subramanyam, and their two daughters.

Ro Khanna: Retains Silicon Valley seat

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, 50, has won re-election from California's 17th Congressional District, which covers the heart of Silicon Valley. He defeated fellow Indian-origin Republican Ritesh Tandon.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Khanna is the son of Indian immigrants. His father worked as a chemical engineer, while his mother was a teaching assistant for children with special needs.

Khanna is a vice chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and co-chaired Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. He has also worked with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie to press for the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Khanna and his wife, Ritu, have two children.

Pramila Jayapal: Re-elected from Washington

Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has won re-election from Washington's 7th Congressional District, which includes most of Seattle and surrounding areas.

Born in Chennai in 1965, Jayapal moved to the United States at the age of 16 to attend Georgetown University. She later earned an MBA from Northwestern University.

First elected to the House in 2016, Jayapal is the first South Asian-American woman to serve in the US House of Representatives. She is a former chair and chair emerita of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

She has been a prominent voice on immigration, healthcare and economic inequality.

Pia Dandiya: A new face in Congress

Democrat Pia Dandiya has won election to the US House of Representatives from Florida's 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican Casey Askar.

A former teacher and high school principal, Dandiya was born and raised in Palm Beach County to parents who immigrated from India.

Aruna Miller

Democrat Aruna Miller, 61, has won re-election as Maryland's lieutenant governor alongside Governor Wes Moore.

Born in Hyderabad, India, Miller immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of seven. She holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Miller represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018. She is the second woman to serve as Maryland's lieutenant governor and the first woman of colour and immigrant to be elected to statewide office in the state.

Jyot Singh makes history in Georgia

Another notable victory came from Georgia, where Democrat Jyot Singh won the State House election from District 97, defeating Republican Yassin Moghazy.

Allow me to reintroduce myself… https://t.co/Y9SrHGvLuS

— Jyot Singh (@jyotsinghga) November 4, 2026

The 27-year-old Yale graduate has become the first Sikh American and Indian-American elected to the Georgia General Assembly.

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The son of Sikh immigrants from India, Singh grew up in a working-class family in Norcross. He completed his schooling at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology before graduating from Yale University in 2021 with a degree in Global Affairs.