Niraj Antani, a 29-year-old Republican, has created history by becoming the first Indian-American to be elected to the Ohio state Senate.
Antani, currently the State Representative, defeated Mark Fogel of the Democratic Party on Tuesday and was elected as the state Senator for the Ohio Senate’s 6th District, which encompasses most of Montgomery County.
“I am so grateful for the continued support of this community in which I was born and raised. My grandparents lived much of their life under British rule in India, only gaining their freedom seven decades ago,” Antani said.
“That it is possible for their grandson to be elected as Ohio’s first Indian-American State Senator is a testament to America’s beauty. I thank the voters for entrusting in me with this sacred honour, to be their voice at the Statehouse,” he said.
A political science graduate, Antani, at the age of 23, was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2014, becoming one of the youngest state lawmakers in the US.
Antani’s parents came to the US in 1987 and settled in Washington township. Later, they moved to Miami.
Indian-origin Democratic congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has been re-elected to the US House of Representatives for the third consecutive term.
Krishnamoorthi, 47, who was born in New Delhi, easily defeated Preston Nelson of the Libertarian Party.
When last reports came in, he had accounted for nearly 71 per cent of the total votes counted.
Krishnamoorthi, whose parents are from Tamil Nadu, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016.
Meanwhile, congressman Ami Bera is seeking his fifth consecutive win from California and Ro Khanna his third term in the House of Representatives from California.
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is seeking her third consecutive term from Washington state.
Voting in both California and Washington states continues and results are expected to be declared in the wee hours.
Dr Hiral Tipirneni is seeking her third consecutive attempt from the sixth Congressional District of Arizona. Sri Kulkarni from the Democratic Party was giving a tough fight to the Republican Party’s Troy Nehls from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas.
Republican Manga Anantatmula was trailing by nearly 15 percentage points against Democratic incumbent Gerry Connolly from the 11th Congressional District of Virginia.
(PTI)
