Two Indian American candidates to face run-off elections in Texas
Two of the
Indian American candidates
, who contested for municipal elections in Texas last weekend, are headed to a runoff. Sanjay Singhal, a candidate in the Sugar Land district 2 city council race, and Sukh Kaur, San Antonio, district 1 city councilwoman, will face the run-off elections in June.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Singhal, an engineer and the president of the Telfair HOA, received 39 per cent of the votes in the May 3 election while contender Nasir Hussain received 22%.
Kaur, who finished first among a crowded field of 10 candidates, fell short of gaining the 50 per cent plus one vote needed to avoid a runoff. She will face business owner Patty Gibbons in the runoff election.
'I'm humbled, grateful, and energised by the strong support I received from Sugar Land district 2 voters,' Singhal said after the election.
He added that his view that the candidates need to focus on local issues faced by citizens and seek votes based on their past performance and not identity or race, was reinforced. He said that he is committed to serving the community.
Kaur said that she was proud of the team that she had put together. First elected in 2023, she is an educationist and a real estate business woman and the first Indian American to serve on the city council.
In her campaign, she focused on affordable housing for residents of her district.
Indian American businessman Gurvinder Singh, who contested for the Sachse City Council Place 6, received 37.36 per cent of votes while the winner Matthew Prestenberg, received 62.64 per cent. For the
Sugar Land City Council
at-large Position 1, Dr George M. Kakkanatt, an Indian American veteran, community leader, and public servant, received 19.38 per cent.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Jim Vonderhaar with 37.11% and Maggy Horgan, with almost 21 per cent of votes, are headed for a run-off for this seat.
In the race for Sugar Land district 4, Rick Miller won without a run off; defeating, among others, Indian American candidate and former planning and zoning commissioner Sapana Patel.
The state of Texas has emerged as a hub for Indian Americans with several running for elected office at different levels including federal, state, city, and school boards.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 hours ago
- First Post
Who is Zohran Mamdani, Mira Nair's son, who is contesting in the NYC mayoral polls?
Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin Assemblyman from Queens, has emerged as a key contender in the 2025 New York City mayoral race. Mamdani, who is the son of filmmaker Mira Nair, is currently polling a close behind former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. If elected, Mamdani would be New York City's first Muslim and Indian-American mayor read more If elected, Zohran Mamdani would be New York City's first Muslim and Indian American mayor. File image/Reuters Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin New York State Assemblyman and son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is making waves as an unexpected contender in the 2025 New York City mayoral race. The 33-year-old, who represents Queens, has jumped into second place in newly released polls, putting him within the striking distance of the current frontrunner, former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Once considered a relatively low-profile figure, Mamdani has quickly built momentum thanks to a mix of strong fundraising, progressive ideas, and social media savvy. Inspired by Senator Bernie Sanders, Mamdani is pitching himself as the bold alternative to Cuomo. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If elected, Zohran Mamdani would be New York City's first Muslim and Indian American mayor. Here's a closer look at who he is and why he's being called the candidate to watch. Who is Zohran Mamdani? -Zohran Mamdani was born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a well-known Indian-born Ugandan Marxist scholar, while his mother is acclaimed Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair. -When he was five, Mamdani moved with his family to Cape Town, South Africa. Two years later, they settled in New York City, where he eventually became a naturalised American citizen in 2018. -Mamdani completed his schooling at the Bronx High School of Science and later earned a degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College in 2014. While at Bowdoin, he co-founded the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. -His political journey began with grassroots work, first as a foreclosure prevention counsellor, and then as a volunteer on local campaigns for figures like Ali Najmi, Khader El-Yateem, Ross Barkan, and Tiffany Caban. In 2017, he joined the Democratic Socialists of America. -Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 after winning the Democratic primary. He has represented Queens' 36th District since 2021 and was re-elected unopposed in both 2022 and 2024. -As an active member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he currently serves on several key committees. To date, he has sponsored 20 bills, three of which have been signed into law. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD -He officially entered the 2025 New York City mayoral race on October 23, 2024, shortly after federal investigations were launched into the administration of Mayor Eric Adams. Zohran Mamdani officially entered the 2025 New York City mayoral race on October 23, 2024, shortly after federal investigations were launched into the administration of Mayor Eric Adams. File photo/AFP -Outside politics, Mamdani has a creative side too. In 2019, he released a single called 'Nani' under the stage name Mr Cardamom. The music video featured none other than Madhur Jaffrey, the famed cookbook author and actress. -He is a practising Shia Muslim and recently married Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-born illustrator whose work has appeared in major outlets like The New Yorker and The Washington Post. The couple lives in Astoria, Queens. About Zohran Mamdani's bid for the NY mayoral polls Inspired by democratic socialist leader Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani is campaigning on a bold progressive agenda. His platform includes ambitious goals: freezing rents, making buses and childcare free, launching a Department of Community Safety, introducing city-run grocery stores in areas with poor food access, and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030. On international issues, particularly Israel-Palestine, he has been vocal in supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He also opposes illegal settlements, calls for ceasefires in Gaza, and stresses the importance of rejecting antisemitism while recognising Israel's right to exist. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At home, he's pushed for stronger anti-discrimination laws and spoken out against cuts to gender-affirming healthcare. His campaign has quickly gained traction. In its first fundraising cycle, it outpaced all other candidates, signalling strong grassroots support. Mamdani is also drawing on his South Asian heritage to connect with voters. He recently released a campaign video in Hindi, packed with references to iconic Bollywood films and dialogues. Billionaires ke paas already sab kuchh hai. Ab, aapka time aageya. Billionaires already have everything. Now, your time has come. — Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 4, 2025 Polling shows that while Andrew Cuomo is currently ahead in first-choice votes, ranked-choice projections show Mamdani narrowing the gap considerably, coming within two points of the former governor in the first round of New York City's ranked-choice voting system. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His campaign has already mobilised over 20,000 volunteers, canvassing across the city. Endorsements are rolling in too—from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the Working Families Party and United Auto Workers' Shawn Fain. In a recent debate, Mamdani didn't hold back. He accused Cuomo of corruption and introduced himself as 'Donald Trump's worst nightmare', a 'progressive, Muslim immigrant' who isn't afraid to fight for what he believes in. New York City's Democratic primary is set for June 24, 2025. The election will use a ranked-choice voting system, allowing voters to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. With input from agencies
NDTV
15 hours ago
- NDTV
"Will Shock Political Establishment": Indian Origin NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Indian-origin Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is closing the gap in the NYC mayoral race. Polling shows Mamdani trails Andrew Cuomo by just seven points in first-round voting. Cuomo's lead narrows to two points at 51%, with Mamdani closely following at 49%. New York: Indian-origin New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani said he's ready to "shock" the political establishment in the New York mayoral polls. Mamdani has come within striking distance of ex-governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race, newly released polling data showed. The democratic socialist candidate is just seven points behind Cuomo in the first round of New York City's ranked-choice voting system, according to the latest data for the Progress Survey of likely Democratic primary voters. The data shows that in the latest round of polling ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary, Cuomo's lead has shrunk to just two points, with 51 per cent of the vote, amid a surprisingly strong challenge from Mamdani, who is close behind at 49 per cent. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus three points. Mamdani-- who is the son of acclaimed Indian American filmmaker Mira Nair and an Indian-born Ugandan Marxist scholar Mahmood Mamdani--in a post on X said that "billionaires are consolidating around Andrew Cuomo because they know he will preserve the broken status quo." Billionaires are consolidating around Cuomo because they know he will preserve the broken status quo. New Yorkers are rallying behind our campaign because they're ready for change. In two weeks, we will shock the political establishment and win a city we can all afford. — Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 10, 2025 "New Yorkers are rallying behind Zohran Mamdani because they are ready for a new generation of leadership that puts working people first," he said. "On June 24, we will shock the political establishment and win a city we can all actually afford." This came after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed his old nemesis, Cuomo, in the New York City mayor's race on Tuesday. "In sizing up the field in the race for mayor, there is one candidate whose management experience and government know-how stand above the others: Andrew Cuomo," Bloomberg said in a statement. It is not clear why the billionaire ex-mayor, who mostly avoids endorsing mayoral candidates at the primary level in New York City, backed Cuomo, but a likely motivating factor could be the rise of Mamdani. Like Cuomo, Bloomberg is known to be an adversary of the Democratic Party's left flank and is a devout supporter of Israel, two defining viewpoints of Mamdani's campaign, according to a report by Politico. Bloomberg said that Cuomo had "focused on solving problems rather than engaging in ideological or partisan warfare," a seeming reference to Mamdani's left-leaning politics. The endorsement comes two days before the final candidate debate on Thursday. Far-left Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Mamdani last week.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Two Punjab-origin candidates win key council seats in Texas
Two Punjab-origin candidates — Sanjay Singhal and Sukh Kaur — have won their respective city council runoff elections in Texas. Sanjay Singhal, a retired energy executive and graduate of IIT Delhi, secured a decisive victory over his nearest rival Nasir Hussain in Sugar Land's District 2. According to unofficial results from Fort Bend County, Singhal received 2,346 votes to Hussain's 777. 'This victory belongs to the residents of District 2. I am deeply grateful for the community's support and ready to serve with transparency and dedication.' Singhal, who has lived in Sugar Land for over 30 years with his wife, their two sons and daughters-in-law, said. Singhal campaigned on transparent governance, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement. Sukh Kaur, an education reformer and the first Sikh woman on San Antonio's City Council, retained her District 1 seat with a win over Patty Gibbons. Kaur, a nonprofit leader who lives in San Antonio with her husband and two children, defeated challenger Patty Gibbons with 65 per cent of the votes. 'I think we really talked to the community and shared that we want to work. And one of the things that we said is District 1 is about preserving our history while still moving our district forward,' Kaur told the media after the results. Kaur focused her campaign on affordable housing, public transit expansion and inclusive urban development. In a closely watched mayoral contest in Sugar Land, , a Houston suburb with a large Indian-origin population, Carol McCutcheon defeated William Ferguson to become the city's new mayor, succeeding Joe Zimmerman. McCutcheon secured 6,103 votes, while Ferguson received 5,402, according to unofficial tallies. McCutcheon, a retired reservoir engineer with decades of public service experience, said she entered the race to help guide Sugar Land's growth with 'strategic vision'. Her priorities include improving crime response, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring quality of life for residents. Additionally, Jim Vonderhaar won the City Council At-Large Position 1 seat with 6,048 votes, defeating Maggy Horgan who received 4,278. Swearing-in ceremonies for the new council members and mayor are expected in the coming weeks.
