US midterms: Vivek Ramaswamy loses Ohio governor's race; how Ro Khanna, Pia Dandiya and others fared

Vivek Ramaswamy's defeat in the Ohio governor’s race leaves Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley as the only Indian-origin politicians to have served as US state governors. Several Indian-Americans won or led congressional races, while Senate candidate Shiva Ayyadurai lost to Ed Markey.

Vivek Ramaswamy's defeat in the Ohio governor's race means there will not be a third Indian-origin person to have served as governor of a US state. Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley remain the only two Indian-origin politicians to have held the position, in Louisiana and South Carolina, respectively.

Interestingly, both Jindal and Haley won as Republican candidates. Ramaswamy, however, could not emulate their success despite receiving the full backing of US President Donald Trump. His defeat comes amid a broader wave of anti-Republican voting, with the party losing ground even in traditionally Republican strongholds. Ramaswamy also faced criticism over several campaign gaffes, which may have complicated his bid.

Indian-Americans on ballot

However, he was not the only Indian-origin candidate on the ballot. Several Indian-Americans contested races for the US Senate, House of Representatives and state legislatures.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, according to US media projections. Ramaswamy had received President Donald Trump’s backing.

His defeat meant there would not be a third Indian-origin person to have served as a US state governor. Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley remain the only two Indian-origin politicians to have held the office.

Ro Khanna defeated Republican Ritesh Tandon in California’s 17th Congressional District by a wide margin. Pramila Jayapal also won decisively against Republican Nirav Sheth in Washington’s 7th District.

Yes. Pia Dandiya defeated her Republican rival in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, a state traditionally considered a Republican stronghold.

Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai was the only Indian-origin candidate in a US Senate race. He challenged Democratic Senator Ed Markey in Massachusetts, where Markey was projected to retain his seat.

Ro Khanna, a prominent Democratic leader from California, defeated fellow Indian-American and Republican candidate Ritesh Tandon in California's 17th Congressional District by a wide margin.

Pramila Jayapal also registered a decisive victory over Republican candidate Nirav Sheth in Washington's 7th Congressional District.

Ami Bera, a Democratic candidate from California's 3rd Congressional District, was also leading Republican Robb Tucker.

Another Democrat, Suhas Subramanyam, was leading in Virginia's 10th Congressional District.

Pia Dandiya registers win in deep red state

Pia Dandiya also registered a victory over her Republican rival in Florida's 22nd Congressional District, in a state traditionally considered a Republican stronghold.

Amish Shah, another Democratic candidate, was leading by a substantial margin in Arizona's 1st Congressional District.

Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai was the only Indian-origin candidate in a US Senate race. He challenged Democratic Senator Ed Markey in Massachusetts, where Markey has been projected to retain his seat.

Former US Vice-President Kamala Harris remains the only Indian-origin politician to have served as a US senator.

Democrats seize Congress from Republicans

Meanwhile, Democrats have seized control of both chambers of Congress, flipping Republican strongholds in a major electoral rebuke of Trump and his policies. The results are said to reflect voter discontent over his administration, with the cost of living emerging as a key election issue.

Democrats have won 54 Senate seats so far, flipping seven seats previously held by Republicans. They have also secured 225 seats in the House of Representatives.

Trump has said that he will accept the results and would work with the opposition.

(Note: The wins have been projected by US media networks and no official announcement has been made yet. Counting of votes remain underway.)

About the Author

Prabhakar Jha is a journalist and digital news editor with nearly a decade of experience in online media, specialising in breaking news, politics, national affairs. Having built his career across fast-paced digital newsrooms, he has developed a reputation for delivering accurate, timely, and reader-friendly stories while leading editorial teams during high-pressure news cycles. In 2026, he joined LiveMint as a Digital Content Producer. <br><br> A postgraduate in History from the University of Delhi, Prabhakar combines strong editorial judgment with a keen interest in public policy, governance, economics, and global affairs. Before joining LiveMint, he worked with leading digital publications, including News9Live and The Times of India, where he handled breaking news, copy editing, headline writing, live coverage, and newsroom coordination. <br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Prabhakar is passionate about long-form writing and storytelling. He has a particular interest in global affairs. An avid reader with a love for literary fiction, he also enjoys blogging, poetry, and working on creative writing projects.