Indian American candidates recorded strong gains in the 2026 US midterm elections, winning 30 state legislative seats, with Democrats securing 28 of the 33 decided contests. Two additional candidates were leading in races that remained undecided.
The results also contributed to Democratic gains in Michigan and Arizona, where the party regained control of both legislative chambers.
In Michigan, Democratic House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri won re-election in the 24th District with approximately 66% of the vote. He is expected to become the first Indian American and Sikh Speaker of the Michigan House, subject to approval by the Democratic caucus.
In Arizona, Democratic Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan secured re-election in the 18th District with around 66% of the vote. Democrats also gained control of both legislative chambers in the state.
Newcomers Jyot Singh in Georgia and Pooja Sethi in Texas recorded notable victories. Singh won Georgia’s 97th House District with approximately 68% of the vote, while Sethi secured Texas’ 47th House District with around 63%.
Other significant victories included Nabeela Syed in Illinois, who won a state Senate seat, and Lisa Kaul in New York, who defeated Republican incumbent Rob Rolison.
Indian American Democratic incumbents also performed strongly, with every incumbent who contested securing re-election. Winners included Ram Villivalam and Kevin Olickal in Illinois, Jay Chaudhuri in North Carolina, Arvind Venkat in Pennsylvania, Anita Somani in Ohio and Manka Dhingra in Washington.
Republican Indian American lawmakers Sabi Kumar in Tennessee and Anil Beephan in New York also retained their seats.
Overall, 30 of the 41 Indian American state legislative candidates won, nine lost and two were leading in pending contests. Women accounted for 15 of the 30 winners, highlighting their growing presence in American political institutions.
Illinois recorded the highest number of Indian American state legislative victories with four, followed by New York with three, while Washington and Vermont recorded two each.
The elections also produced victories for Indian American candidates in local government positions, including county and city-level offices. Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller also secured re-election alongside Governor Wes Moore.
The results reflect the expanding participation of Indian Americans in US politics, with candidates gaining representation across state legislatures and local government institutions.
