Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia State Senator and Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives, is poised to win the November general elections. Subramanyam, 38, promises to focus on immigration reform, particularly legal immigration, while strengthening the economy and supporting small businesses.
“I want to make sure we have a strong economy in the United States. This area (suburbs of Washington DC in Virginia) in particular is right outside of Washington, DC. We have a lot of federal workers that we want to protect. We want to make sure that we grow businesses and have a plan to address the high costs of living right now and rising costs. I know that’s something happening all over the country. We want to make sure we have a good economy,” Subramanyam shared in an interview with PTI.
Together, we’re going to protect the rights and livelihoods of future generations—because it’s personal to me and my family. #VA10 pic.twitter.com/SkrrlSwmrX
— Suhas Subramanyam (@SuhasforVA) September 27, 2024
Subramanyam, running from Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, would be the first Indian-American elected to Congress from the East Coast and southern United States. If elected, he would join the “Samosa Caucus,” which already includes five Indian-American lawmakers: Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, and Shri Thanedar.
“I’m running for the US Congress to represent an area right outside of Washington, D.C., the Dulles Airport area. We feel very confident that we can win this election as long as everyone comes out and votes. I’d be the first Indian-American candidate ever elected to Congress from the entire East Coast and the south of the United States. We have five right now in Congress and I would be the sixth and I think we’re hoping that having a seat at the table will mean good things for our community,” he said.
Subramanyam highlighted his plans for addressing immigration reform, focusing on legal immigration and addressing the outdated system. “We’ll have secure borders and I’ll invest in that. We also need to look at legal immigration and what we can do for people who have H1B visas and are trying to get a green card but have to wait 10-15 years. We have a very antiquated system with country quotas,” he explained.
Subramanyam also emphasized the importance of the India-US relationship. “The US-India relationship is so important because India is one of the most important democracies on the Earth. And so we want to make sure we have a good relationship with other democracies in the global sphere,” he said. He also advocates for stronger economic and defense partnerships between the two countries.
Subramanyam’s personal connection to India and his upbringing by immigrant parents from Bengaluru and Chennai fuel his drive for public service. “They just taught me a couple of values. One, service is very important, giving back, making a good life. Education is also important. One of the things they also wanted me to do was make sure I stayed in touch with my Indian roots,” he shared, reflecting on his strong ties to his heritage.
