Indian-origin Democrat Pia Dandiya won Florida's 22nd Congressional District in the 2026 US midterm elections, defeating Republican candidate Casey Askar. In one of the closely watched contests of the 2026 US midterm elections, Pia became the first Indian American elected to the US House of Representatives from Florida and the 10th to serve in Congress.

With this win, she will now represent Florida's newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. It stretched across parts of Palm Beach, Broward, Hendry, and Collier counties.

From A Teacher To A Policy Leader

Born and raised in Palm Beach County, Pia, 39, is a first-generation American. Her family immigrated from Jaipur in 1980. At Harvard University, she studied government and earned a master's degree in education from Boston University. She also taught English to children in Delhi's slum communities during her undergraduate years, an enriching experience that fueled her to fight for educational equality.

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Pia Dandiya was a teacher in underserved schools through Teach For America. She founded and fronted the Democracy Prep Endurance High School in Harlem. At 28, Dandiya became the youngest principal in the United States. Later, she received a White House Fellowship and served with the White House Domestic Policy Council and the US Department of Education under both Democratic and Republican administrations. 

Pia then joined Apple, where she worked with the local government and state to use technology to modernise healthcare, education, and public services.

Pia Dandiya 2026 Campaign

Before her 2026 race, Pia tried her hand in Florida's 21st District, running for Congress against Republican Brian Mast, a chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. However, her 2026 campaign was all about Florida's 22nd District's education, affordability, and growing the local economy.

While the contest against Marine veteran and Republican candidate Casey Askar was challenging, Pia won fair and square with a margin of about 3.8 percentage points.

What's Next?

Following Pia's victory, Indian American representation in Congress has become more substantial. After she takes charge of the office, her commitment to education, affordability, and opportunities through specific projects and plans will become clearer.