Washington– Three South Asian-origin candidates secured significant victories in key U.S. elections on Tuesday, marking a milestone moment for the growing political influence of the Indian and South Asian diaspora across the country.
In New York, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral race, defeating Independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo as well as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. With nearly 90 percent of votes counted, Mamdani received more than half of the total ballots cast — surpassing one million votes — in an election that saw record turnout. His victory makes him the first Muslim and the first South Asian to serve as Mayor of New York City.
Mamdani, born in Uganda to Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, previously served as a state assemblyman from Queens and is associated with the Democratic Socialists of America. Supporters called his win a breakthrough for immigrant representation in one of the world’s most diverse cities.
In Virginia, state senator Ghazala Hashmi won the lieutenant governor’s race, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected to any statewide office in the United States. The Associated Press projected Hashmi defeating Republican John Reid with 53 percent of the vote. She first made history in 2019 when she became the first Muslim and South Asian woman elected to the Virginia state legislature. Hashmi was born in Hyderabad and moved to the U.S. at the age of four.
Meanwhile, in Ohio, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval secured re-election with more than 79 percent of the vote, according to early counts. Pureval, who is of Indian and Tibetan heritage, defeated Republican challenger Cory Bowman, the half-brother of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
The three victories highlight a rising presence of South Asian leaders in American public life, spanning municipal, state, and executive roles. Political analysts said the wins mark a steady shift in representation as second- and third-generation South Asian Americans increasingly seek — and win — elected office across the country. (Source: IANS)
