Washington, August 19: Indian-American educator Pia Dandia has won the Democratic primary in Florida. She will face Republican candidate Casey Askar in the general election scheduled for November 3. This seat is considered crucial in determining which party will hold a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In Tuesday’s primary, Dandia secured victory by defeating attorney Kasia Early with 61.3% of the votes. Following her win, Dandia expressed her gratitude, stating, “I feel very happy and honored to be chosen as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress from my home state of Florida. I sincerely thank the voters, volunteers, and everyone who has trusted our campaign for months.”
She added that the next chapter of the campaign is about to begin. “We will stand for hardworking families and redefine what it means to be a public servant in Florida,” she said.
Dandia was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida. Her parents are from India. She began her career as a teacher and, at the age of 28, founded a high school in Harlem, becoming one of the youngest principals in the country.
Despite 86% of her school’s students coming from low-income families, every student gained admission to college. Dandia has also worked as a White House Fellow in the Domestic Policy Council and the Department of Education. Later, she led public projects related to education, health, and state government at Apple.
If she wins in November, Dandia will become the first South Asian American to reach the U.S. Congress from Florida.
On the Republican side, Casey Askar, a businessman and Marine veteran, won his primary with 24% of the votes. In a field of seven candidates, cryptocurrency businessman Michael Carbonara received 20.6%, while university administrator Belinda Kaiser garnered 20.2%.
This election is for Florida’s 22nd congressional district, which includes parts of Broward, Palm Beach, Hendry, and Collier counties. The seat became vacant after Democratic Congresswoman Lois Frankel decided to run in the neighboring 23rd district.
Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin congratulated Dandia, stating, “As a teacher and a long-time community leader, Pia has worked to expand opportunities and fight for hardworking families. She will advocate for reducing grocery, health, and housing costs for families in South Florida once in Congress. The DNC is prepared to support Pia in winning this seat and regaining a majority in the House in November.”
Dandia’s campaign focuses on reducing domestic expenses, providing pre-kindergarten for all children, strengthening public schools, increasing vocational training, and protecting Social Security, Medicare, and reproductive rights.
Political analysts suggest that this seat leans Republican. In 2024, Donald Trump received 54.6% of the votes in this new district, while Joe Biden garnered 51% four years earlier. Both national parties have prioritized this seat.
It is worth noting that the Democratic Party’s primary election is an internal process to determine the official candidate for the upcoming presidential or other general elections. Party members or registered voters select their preferred leader.
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