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NRI wins Democratic primary
As primary elections were held in three states in America on Tuesday, an underdog Indian-American appeared to have surprisingly clinched Democratic party’s nomination to contest the November elections for a seat in the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania this November.
As primary elections were held in three states in America on Tuesday, an underdog Indian-American appeared to have surprisingly clinched Democratic party’s nomination to contest the November elections for a seat in the US House of Representatives from Pennsylvania this November.
With the votes counted for the 6th Congressional district in Pennsylvania, physician Manan Trivedi, who also served as Lt. Commander with a military battalion stationed in Iraq, had a lead of over 500 votes over this party rival. Given the narrow margin, there remained the possibility of a recount but early on Wednesday morning, Trivedi seemed confident of securing the nomination.
In a telephonic interview, he said, “Things look really good.” A physician, who has his practice in Reading, Pennsylvania, Trivedi became the father of a girl just three weeks earlier. He appeared confident of his chances in November, though this seat is held by a Republican.
He said that Democrats outnumbered Republicans in the district and he was “not your typical challenger, not a career politician.” “The Republicans haven’t really seen the likes of me,” he said. Trivedi appeared to have overcome a major financial disadvantage against his party rival in the primary. He said part of the credit went to the Indian-American community.
Trivedi is part of a group of young Indian-Americans politicians who are coming of age. Washington-based Democratic strategist Toby Chaudhuri said,
If Trivedi’s nomination is confirmed, that will mean that at least four Indian-Americans, all Democrats, will contest the November midterm elections. Three others who have secured nominations are Ami Bera in California, Raj Goyle in Kansas and Surya Yalamanchili in Ohio. Bera, Goyle and Trivedi will contest seats that the Democratic Party leadership has on its shortlist of Red to Blue constituencies or those it could wrest from Republicans.
