Usha Reddi, the current Indian American senator representing Kansas’ 22nd district, has officially declared her candidacy for re-election. Assuming office after Tom Hawk’s departure in January, Reddi aims to extend her term until January 2025.
Announcing her candidacy on X, formerly Twitter, Reddi expressed her commitment to public service and working for the people as their State Senator. Her focus areas, as outlined on her campaign website, include health care, mental health, public education, safety, equity, jobs, security, economic growth, infrastructure, housing, and childcare.
Emphasizing collaboration, Reddi pledges to work with legislators, experts, and community members to formulate policies benefiting individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits. With a background as a public school teacher, she previously served a decade on the Manhattan City Commission in Kansas, being elected as Mayor in 2016-2017 and 2020.
Reddi, whose family immigrated from Andhra Pradesh, India, in 1973, settled in Columbus, Ohio. She holds bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and developmental psychology from Kansas State and Ohio State University, respectively. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Kansas State University.
