In a historic night for the South Asian diaspora, three candidates of Indian and broader South Asian heritage scored landmark victories in key U.S. elections, signaling the community’s growing influence in American politics.

From New York City’s mayoral race to statewide contests in Virginia and Ohio, Zohran Mamdani, Ghazala Hashmi, and Aftab Pureval each made history in their respective races, breaking barriers and redefining representation in the U.S. political landscape.

Leading the charge was 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist and state assemblyman from Queens, who won the New York City mayoral race with more than 50 percent of the vote. Born in Uganda to acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and scholar Mahmood Mamdani, he became both the first Muslim and first South Asian to hold the city’s top office. With a record turnout of more than two million voters, Mamdani defeated Independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, as well as Republican contender Curtis Sliwa, marking a seismic shift in the city’s political dynamics.

In Virginia, state senator Ghazala Hashmi achieved another historic milestone by winning the lieutenant governor’s race. The Hyderabad-born Democrat secured 53 percent of the vote, defeating Republican John Reid to become the first Muslim woman ever elected to statewide office in the U.S. Hashmi, who had already made history in 2019 as the first Muslim and South Asian woman in the Virginia legislature, will now assume one of the state’s highest executive positions.

Meanwhile, in Ohio, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval — who has Indian and Tibetan roots — won re-election by a landslide, securing more than 79 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President J.D. Vance. His decisive victory reaffirmed his popularity and the continued trust of voters in his leadership.

The trio’s victories reflect the increasing participation and influence of South Asian Americans in the political mainstream — from local government to state-level leadership. Community leaders hailed the wins as a defining moment for diversity, inclusion, and representation in U.S. democracy.

“These victories demonstrate that South Asians are no longer on the periphery of American politics — they are shaping its future,” said a community activist in Washington.