Virginia elects its first Indian-American congressman, Suhas Subramanyam

Suhas Subramanyam will serve the 10th Congressional District for Loudoun County after defeating Republican Mike Clancy.

Winning by 5% of the vote for his district, Suhas Subramanyam made history as the first Indian-American congressman to serve the commonwealth. 

Born to parents who immigrated from India, Subramanyam grew up in Houston, Texas. 

When Subramanyam’s parents first arrived in the United States, they landed via plane at Dulles Airport. Decades later, their son won a history-making seat in the same district.

During his campaign, Subramanyam discussed his parents’ fight for the “American Dream” and the opportunities and challenges they faced when moving to the States.

Subramanyam chased his own version of the “Dream” by breaking down racial barriers at the political level. But Subramanyam is no stranger to making history—in 2019, he became the first Indian-American and Hindu representative in Virginia’s General Assembly. 

According to Chintan Patel of the Indian-American Impact Fund, the South Asian community in the area grew significantly in recent decades. Subramanyam’s district has approximately 65,000 South Asian residents. Patel said, “Finally, representation is starting to catch up.”

Subramanyam will take Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s seat in Congress. The congresswoman announced her battle with a progressive supranuclear palsy diagnosis last year. This neurological disease inhibits bodily movements.

Wexton first introduced Subramanyam as a candidate for her seat, asserting that she trusts him to continue her legacy. During an address to Congress, Wexton spoke through her AI voice program, saying, “There is no one I trust more to serve this district, to carry on my legacy and build on the progress we’ve made than Suhas Subramanyam.”

Throughout his campaign, Subramanyam celebrated his culture while vying for Congress. In October, his campaign put on a Diwali and Tihar celebration. Diwali, also known as the Hindu festival of lights, is a holiday celebrated by Indian and Nepali groups worldwide. The Subramanyam campaign office lit up with bright colors and lights for the holiday, and there was a traditional Nepalese dance. 

Opportunities like celebrating Diwali in the campaign office increase inclusiveness in Virginia. 

The congressman once said, “When I first started this [campaign], people told me to change my name. People told me, ‘Suhas Subramanyam is not an electable name.’” 

Clearly, those naysayers were wrong.