Indian-American Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is seeking a sixth term representing Washington’s 7th Congressional District in the 2026 US midterm elections. She will face Republican nominee Nirav Sheth in a contest between two Indian-born candidates.
Jayapal secured 84.7 per cent of the vote in Washington’s August primary. Her campaign focuses on immigration reform, healthcare access, affordable housing and workers’ rights. She was the first Indian-American woman elected to the US House of Representatives and previously chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She currently serves on the House Judiciary, Foreign Affairs and Budget committees.
Born in Chennai on September 21, 1965, Jayapal moved to the United States at 16 after spending much of her childhood in Indonesia and Singapore. She earned degrees from Georgetown University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Before entering politics, she worked in global health and development and founded OneAmerica, an immigrant advocacy organisation in Washington state. She served in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to 2017 before winning a seat in Congress in 2016.
Healthcare reform remains central to her political agenda. A prominent supporter of Medicare for All, Jayapal advocates publicly funded healthcare and greater oversight of investment firms that own healthcare providers. She also supports affordable housing, LGBTQ+ rights and expanded access to higher education, including tuition-free public college options for eligible families.
Immigration policy is another major focus. Drawing on her experience of waiting 17 years to become a US citizen, she supports a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, protections for immigrant families and greater accountability in immigration enforcement.
On economic issues, Jayapal advocates a $15 federal minimum wage, stronger workers’ rights and protections for students and consumers. She has also criticised the Trump administration’s tariffs, arguing that they increase costs for American households and businesses.
In foreign policy, Jayapal has opposed US military action against Iran, questioning its constitutional basis and highlighting its financial impact on American families. She has also called for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence, particularly concerning data privacy, workplace surveillance and the concentration of power among major technology companies.
Jayapal has faced criticism over remarks concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict. In 2023, she described Israel as a “racist state” before clarifying that her criticism concerned the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. She later apologised. That year, she also faced criticism over remarks concerning reports of sexual violence during the October 7 Hamas attacks and subsequently condemned Hamas’ use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon.
Her comments on India’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls also drew a response from Indian officials. Jayapal expressed concern about reported voter-list deletions and their potential impact on voting rights. India’s Ministry of External Affairs criticised her remarks as unwarranted and uninformed, while the Election Commission of India said the revision was intended to remove duplicate, deceased and ineligible voters.
As the midterm elections approach, Jayapal’s campaign centres on healthcare, immigration, housing, labour protections and corporate accountability. Her contest with Sheth will determine who represents Washington’s 7th Congressional District in the next congressional term.
