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Two Punjab-origin candidates win key council seats 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
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.
