The US midterm elections are set for November 3, and this year’s race has a distinct Indian-American presence. From the Ohio governor’s race to contests for the US House of Representatives and New York’s Attorney General, several candidates of Indian origin are seeking office.

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Among the prominent names is Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who is taking on Democrat Amy Acton in Ohio. Four Indian-origin Democratic lawmakers- Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Ami Bera and Suhas Subramanyam, are also seeking re-election.

In two closely watched contests, they face Indian-origin challengers: Ritesh Tandon is challenging Khanna in California, while Nirav Sheth is taking on Jayapal in Washington state.

Other candidates in the race include Amish Shah in Arizona, Pia Dandiya in Florida and Republican Saritha Komatireddy, who is challenging New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The growing presence of Indian-origin candidates comes as Indian-American voters remain an important electoral constituency. One survey found that they preferred Democratic candidates for the US House by 66 per cent to 18 per cent.

With issues such as inflation, jobs, healthcare and education shaping the campaign, the November 3 polls will decide control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

For Indian-origin candidates, the elections are also a test of how far their growing presence can translate into political representation.