Indian-American candidates have secured early victories in the 2026 US midterm elections, with Suhas Subramanyam and Aruna Miller winning re-election, while Pia Dandiya clinched victory in Florida's 22nd Congressional District.
Subramanyam, 40, was re-elected to the US House of Representatives from Virginia on Tuesday, while Miller, 61, retained her position as Maryland's Lieutenant Governor. Dandiya, 39, won the race in Florida's 22nd Congressional District.
Meanwhile, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy was trailing in the Ohio governor's race as vote counting continued across the country.
Several other Indian-American candidates are awaiting the results of their respective contests, with counting still underway.
Democratic lawmakers Ro Khanna, Ami Bera and Pramila Jayapal are seeking re-election to the US House of Representatives, while fellow Democrat Amish Shah is contesting in competitive races in a bid to make his debut as a Congressperson.
Democrat Nithya Raman, who was born in Kerala, is also locked in a keen contest with her former boss, Karen Bass, for the post of Mayor of Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the US.
The early victories for Indian-American candidates came as Americans voted in one of the most consequential midterm elections, with pre-election surveys predicting a possible setback for President Donald Trump's Republican Party and signalling a desire for political change.
Over 210 million Americans were eligible to vote in the elections, which began at 6 am Eastern Time on Tuesday. The polls are being held for all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, 37 seats in the Senate, 36 governorships and several local public offices.
According to preliminary national results from CNN's Voter Poll, voters were broadly dissatisfied with the state of the nation, the economy and Trump's job performance.
The elections will determine whether Trump's Republican Party retains control of both chambers of the US Congress or whether Democrats manage to wrest control of at least the House of Representatives, as predicted by opinion polls. The outcome will shape the final two years of Trump's second term.
Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers. The Senate is split 53-47 in favour of Republicans. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber. Of the 35 Senate seats on the ballot, 22 are currently held by Republicans.
Democrats are seeking to flip seven Senate seats in Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Iowa and Alaska as part of their effort to secure a majority in the 100-member chamber.
Each of the 50 US states is represented by two Senators, who serve six-year terms. Their terms are staggered, with elections held every two years for roughly one-third of the Senate seats. Members of the House of Representatives, meanwhile, are elected for two-year terms.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also seen entering the West Wing of the White House but indicated that he did not wish to speak.
On polling day, Trump announced that the US would stop providing Israel with USD 4 billion in aid from next year. Democrat Ro Khanna described the announcement as a desperate attempt to stave off a "Blue tsunami".
On the eve of the elections, the US launched limited strikes on Iran's Qesham island in the Hormuz Strait. Officials said the strikes were in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft.
(With Inputs From PTI)
