Over half-a-dozen Indian-Americans win Congressional primaries

Washington, March 5

Over half a dozen Indian-Americans, including two incumbent Congressmen and two women, have won primaries for House of Representatives elections in November.

In California, incumbents Ami Bera and Ro Khanna registered an easy win in their respective seventh and 17th Congressional districts. Both are from the Democratic party.

Bera, the longest-serving Indian-American in the US House of Representatives, is seeking his fifth consecutive term.

Khanna is seeking his third consecutive term. However, he would be challenged by Indian-American Ritesh Tandon from the Republican party. Tandon is supported by Indian-American groups opposed to Khanna.

Tandon came a distant second in the primaries. As per California laws, top two contestants, irrespective of their party affiliations, have their names on the ballots of November elections.

“I am so grateful to everyone for our victory tonight. We are exceeding our 2018 totals, beating Ritesh Tandon who ran on Islamophobia and right wing nationalism in India. We are getting the most votes in the Bay Area! Silicon Valley rejects bigotry,” Khanna said in a tweet.

Republican Nisha Sharma won the primary from 11th Congressional district of California. She will challenge Democratic incumbent Mark DeSaulnier in the November election.

Democratic Rishi Kumar, seeking to challenge incumbent Anna G Eshoo from the same party, came a distant second with 15.9 per cent votes in the 18th Congressional district of California.

Indian-American Manga Anantatmula sailed through the Republican primaries in the 11th Congressional district of Virginia. She would challenge the six-term Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly.

Priston Kulkarni scored a major primary win in the 22nd Congressional district of Texas.

“Thank you for your support! We couldn’t have gotten here without your help and your support,” he tweeted. PTI

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