Pete Buttigieg Campaigns for Indian American Pia Dandiya as Florida Congressional Race Tightens
WASHINGTON–Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has joined Indian American Democrat Pia Dandiya on the campaign trail in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, where a new super PAC-sponsored poll shows a virtual tie between Dandiya and Republican Casey Askar ahead of the November 3 election.
Buttigieg, considered a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, appeared alongside Dandiya on Monday at a campaign canvassing event in Plantation, Florida, as Democrats intensified efforts to win the closely contested House seat.
“I’m thrilled to host Pete in the 22nd District, as we work to build a campaign bigger than any one of us,” Dandiya said. “He represents the kind of common-sense leadership we need, and his support is a true honor.”
Dandiya also celebrated Buttigieg’s appearance in a social media post.
“So grateful for @PeteButtigieg for joining our amazing canvass launch!!” she wrote on X, adding: “Plantation showed out.”
The campaign appearance came as new polling suggested the race had become increasingly competitive.
A survey sponsored by A Fight Worth Having, a super PAC, and conducted by its polling unit, RedBox Research, showed Dandiya receiving 46.3% support among likely voters, compared with 45.5% for Askar.
The difference falls well within the poll’s 5.1-percentage-point margin of error, indicating that neither candidate holds a statistically significant lead.
The survey, conducted October 20-23 among 550 likely voters and released October 25, found Dandiya leading among independent voters by a substantial margin, 56.8% to 24.9%.
The poll also showed Dandiya performing better among male voters, while Askar held a narrow advantage among women.
National election analysts have also identified the district as increasingly competitive.
The Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the contest from Lean Republican to Toss-up, while Decision Desk HQ’s forecasting model gave Askar a 58% probability of victory as of October 23.
Despite the close polling, Askar maintains a considerable fundraising advantage.
Campaign finance disclosures showed that Askar, a businessman, had nearly $1.9 million in cash available as of October 14, compared with approximately $735,000 for Dandiya.
Askar has also provided about $6.7 million in loans to his campaign during the election cycle, of which $400,000 has been repaid.
The race has attracted substantial spending from political organizations seeking to influence the outcome.
According to Federal Election Commission filings cited by India West, No Going Back PAC, a super PAC funded by MAGA Inc., has spent approximately $6.5 million opposing Dandiya.
House Majority PAC, which supports Democratic candidates, has reported spending $7.84 million against Askar.
Dandiya, a former educator and technology executive, is among the candidates selected for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue program, which supports Democrats running in competitive congressional districts.
Florida’s 22nd Congressional District was previously considered a Democratic stronghold. However, redistricting altered its political composition, giving Republicans an estimated advantage of approximately 38,500 voters.
About 55% of voters in the newly drawn district supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel, who previously represented the district, chose not to seek reelection.
With early voting continuing through October 31, both campaigns are seeking to mobilize supporters before Election Day on November 3.
A victory for Dandiya would add another Indian American voice to the U.S. House of Representatives, where members of the community remain a relatively small group. (Source: IANS)
