Highlights:
The 2026 US midterms are putting a new set of Indian-American candidates into high-stakes congressional races, but their journeys also highlight a growing political divide within a community that is becoming increasingly visible in American public life.
Ritesh Tandon, Nirav Sheth and Sandeep Dixit come from very different professional backgrounds. Their careers span Silicon Valley technology, the US military, law enforcement, engineering and entrepreneurship. Now, all three are seeking political office after building their lives largely outside electoral politics.
Their campaigns are unfolding across California, Washington and Ohio, with each candidate offering a different answer to one question: What role should Indian-American professionals play in an increasingly polarized Washington?
Ritesh Tandon takes on Ro Khanna
Ritesh Tandon, a technology entrepreneur who built his career in Silicon Valley, is the Republican challenger to Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna in California’s 17th Congressional District. Federal Election Commission records identify Tandon as a Republican candidate for the seat.
Tandon came to the United States from India as a student and went on to work in technology, including at Cisco and Jabra. He later founded and became CEO of Kricel Corporation.
His campaign focuses on the economy, regulation, healthcare, education and the cost of living.
The political contrast is particularly notable because Tandon is challenging an incumbent Democrat in a district closely associated with Silicon Valley, the same technology ecosystem where he built his professional career.
Nirav Sheth faces Pramila Jayapal
In Washington, another Indian-American Republican is taking on a prominent Democratic incumbent.
Nirav Sheth is running against Rep. Pramila Jayapal in Washington’s 7th Congressional District. Both candidates have Indian roots, but they represent opposing political parties. The two are listed as the Republican and Democratic candidates on the 2026 general-election ballot.
Sheth moved to the United States from India in 2008 to study computer and electrical engineering. His career later took an unusual turn, from technology to military service.
He spent four years in the US Marine Corps, working as an aircraft mechanic and military police officer, before becoming a police officer in Lakewood, Washington. He later entered business.
His campaign now puts that experience into a political contest against Jayapal, a well-established Democratic figure in Congress.
Sandeep Dixit rejects both parties
Ohio offers a different kind of political challenge.
Sandeep Dixit, an engineer and small-business owner, is running as an independent in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. The Federal Election Commission lists him as an independent House candidate.
Dixit came to the United States from India about 36 years ago, arriving at age 21. He built a career in technology and software development before entering politics.
His campaign explicitly rejects the traditional party structure, promoting “No Party Extremes. No PACS. Citizens First.”
His platform centers on jobs, affordability, healthcare, environmental protections and technology.
Three paths, one political test
What makes these candidates notable is not simply their Indian heritage. It is how differently they have entered American politics.
Tandon is running as a Republican in Silicon Valley. Sheth is a Republican challenging a Democratic incumbent in Washington. Dixit is rejecting both major parties altogether in Ohio.
Their campaigns reflect a broader reality of the 2026 midterms: Indian-American political representation is no longer confined to one party, ideology or professional background.
Instead, candidates with roots in India are increasingly competing from across America’s political spectrum — and their races could offer a revealing look at how the community’s political identity is evolving.
