On November 5, American voters won’t only be choosing a new president. Elections will also take place for 34 Senate seats, 435 House positions, 11 governor seats, and more than 5,800 state legislature roles. Ashwin Ramaswami, a young Democrat who turned 25 this May, making him eligible, is challenging Georgia state Senator Shawn Still in Senate District 48. Although the district has typically leaned Republican, Ramaswami is giving the GOP incumbent a fierce challenge. Still is one of the people facing indictment related to alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump.
Ramaswami, the son of Tamil Nadu immigrants, grew up in Atlanta’s affluent Johns Creek suburb, home to many Indian-American tech professionals. He studied computer science at Stanford and earned a law degree from Georgetown University. His work has focused on cybersecurity and tech policy, with experience at Schmidt Futures, where he contributed research that shaped a bill in Congress regarding open-source software security. He also taught classes on Hindu philosophy and helped raise $100,000 to fund programs for students of Dharmic traditions while at Georgetown.
Between 2020 and 2023, Ramaswami worked with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), leading efforts to protect local election systems from cyberattacks. His opponent, Shawn Still, was implicated in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as Trump attempted to overturn Georgia’s narrow loss. Still was one of 16 Republicans who signed a certificate falsely claiming Trump had won the state. However, this investigation did not prevent Still’s election to the Georgia Senate in 2022.
The alleged interference in the 2020 election has become a central theme in Ramaswami’s campaign. “Politicians are falsely claiming elections are rigged,” he said, calling for greater transparency. Although Georgia’s District 48 has a rising immigrant population, including a significant Asian community, the area remains conservative. However, Ramaswami has energized the race, raising over $700,000 in campaign funds. His opponent acknowledges the competitiveness, stating, “This race has become very real.”
