Indian-American Pia Dandiya Wins Florida Congressional Seat, Makes History
Becomes the First South Asian to Represent Florida in the US House; Daughter of Jaipur-Origin Immigrants
By Baljit Balli | Babushahi Network
Florida/Chandigarh, November 5, 2026: Indian-American Democrat Pia Dandiya has won the election to the US House of Representatives from Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, defeating Republican candidate Casey Askar in a closely contested race held on November 3.
Dandiya secured 51.9 per cent of the vote against Askar’s 48.1 per cent, marking a significant political milestone for the Indian-American community. She is set to become the first South Asian to represent Florida in the US House of Representatives and the second Indian-American woman elected to the House, after Pramila Jayapal.
The victory has a special connection with India, as Dandiya is the daughter of immigrants from Jaipur, Rajasthan, who moved to the United States more than four decades ago. Born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida, she has built her career around education, leadership and public service.
A graduate of Harvard University, where she earned a degree in Government in 2009, Dandiya began her professional journey as a teacher in Boston through Teach For America. She later earned a Master’s degree in Education from Boston University and went on to become a high school principal in Harlem, New York.
At the age of 28, she founded Democracy Prep Endurance High School. A remarkable feature of her work was that all her students secured admission to college, despite 86 per cent of them belonging to low-income families.
In 2020, Dandiya was selected as a White House Fellow. She subsequently worked with Apple, handling public-sector initiatives related to education and healthcare.
Entering electoral politics for the first time in 2026, she won the Democratic Party's primary in August before taking on Republican Casey Askar in the general election. Her victory came in Florida’s newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District, which was created following a change in the state’s congressional boundaries.
Dandiya had made education, affordability and economic opportunity key themes of her campaign. Explaining her motivation for entering the race, she said she wanted to fight for her students, her son and every child growing up in the district who deserved a better future.
Her election is being seen as another significant achievement for people of Indian origin in American public life. From a family with roots in Jaipur to a seat in the US Congress, Dandiya’s journey reflects the growing participation and representation of the Indian diaspora in the political life of the United States.
She will take up her responsibilities when the new US Congress convenes in January 2027.
Editorial note: I have used the reported percentage figures (51.9% and 48.1%) rather than the exact vote totals because different reports available at the time of drafting show slightly different counts. The result and her distinction as the first South Asian to represent Florida in the US House are supported by election coverage.
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