November 17, 2022
1 min read

5-member Indian-American ‘Samosa Caucus’ in Congress

The last time there were five lawmakers of Indian origin in Congress was in 2020 when Kamala Harris was a senator before her election as Vice President…writes Arul Louis

Ami Bera has been reelected to the House of Representatives, ensuring the “Samosa Caucus” has five Indian American lawmakers in Congress.

The longest-serving Indian American in Congress, Bera was declared winner on Tuesday night even as the counting of votes was continuing in his California House district a week after the November 8 election.

A doctor, Bera, 57, was first elected to Congress in 2012.

Bera joins reelected fellow Californian Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Pramila Jayapal from Washington State, and Shri Thanedar from Michigan elected for the first time.

They lightheartedly call themselves the “Samosa Caucus”.

The last time there were five lawmakers of Indian origin in Congress was in 2020 when Kamala Harris was a senator before her election as Vice President.

Bera is campaigning for a leadership position in the House Democratic Party, Politico reported.

It said that he wrote to party colleagues making his case to be elected chairperson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee citing his efforts as the head of its frontline programme that helped vulnerable party candidates blunting the Republican margin.

The committee works to elect party members to the House and its head, who ranks sixth in the party’s hierarchy in the House, wields considerable influence.

Although only 67 per cent of the votes were counted as of Tuesday, Bera was ahead of his Republican rival Tamika Hamilton by 13.2 per cent or 15,964 votes, a margin giving him a pathway to victory, declaring him the winner.

After constituencies were redrawn in the ten-yearly exercise, Bera moved from his constituency centred around California’s capital Sacramento to a nearby one that includes more suburbs while also retaining parts of Sacramento.

ALSO READ: It’s official: Trump announces 3rd bid for White House

Previous Story

McConnell re-elected as Senate minority leader

Next Story

US gets a ‘divided’ govt

Latest from -Top News

Pakistan reverses support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan

Pakistan retracts support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan, citing differences with Muslim nations’ draft; move reflects domestic sensitivities and regional alignment amid ongoing Middle East conflict diplomacy. In a surprising shift, Pakistan’s

Hamas agrees to release all hostages

Hamas agrees to release all Israeli hostages under Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, backed by global powers and the UN, paving the way for regional stability. Hamas has formally agreed to release

Qatar now under US shield

Trump offers Qatar an unprecedented security guarantee, pledging US military protection amid Israeli strike and Gaza peace negotiations, reinforcing Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy. In an extraordinary move, the United States has

UAE condemns Manchester attack

UAE condemns Manchester synagogue attack; UK deploys extra police, PM Starmer vows protection for Jewish communities while emergency services respond to a shocking Yom Kippur tragedy. The United Arab Emirates has strongly
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Biden to host Jordan King on July 19

King Abdullah II will be the first Arab leader to

Alarming rise in sadness among teen girls in US

About 57 per cent of girls reported feeling persistently sad