Highlights:
- Lisa Kaul wins Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 39
- Jenifer Rajkumar loses New York Assembly seat after one term
- Vichal Kumar finishes fourth in New York's 7th Congressional District primary
- Harjot Singh and Anil Beephan Jr advance to November without primary challengers
- Results reflect a mixed election cycle for Indian American candidates in New York
INDIAN AMERICAN candidates posted mixed results in New York’s June 23 primary elections, with Lisa Kaul winning a State Senate primary, Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar losing her Assembly seat and congressional candidate Vichal Kumar falling short in a crowded Democratic race.
Kaul, a Dutchess County legislator, won the Democratic primary in New York State Senate District 39, according to Associated Press estimates. With 94 per cent of votes counted, Kaul received 62.1 per cent of the vote, or 8,178 votes.
Evan Menist received 30.4 per cent and Gay Lee received 7.4 per cent. The Associated Press called the race at 4:33 am on Wednesday (24).
Kaul will face Republican incumbent Robert Rolison in the November 3 general election.
Rajkumar lost her seat in Assembly District 38 in Queens to Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger David Orkin. With about 94 per cent of ballots counted, Orkin had nearly 59 per cent of the vote, while Rajkumar had about 41 per cent, according to the Queens Daily Eagle.
Rajkumar had represented the district since 2021 and was the first south Asian woman and the first Hindu elected to New York State office.
Assembly District 38 includes Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and Woodhaven.
In New York’s 7th Congressional District, Vichal Kumar, a public defender and son of Indian immigrants, finished fourth in the Democratic primary with fewer than two per cent of the vote, according to the Brooklyn Paper.
The race was won by Queens Assemblymember Claire Valdez, who received about 58 per cent of the vote. Brooklyn Borough president Antonio Reynoso came second with around 33 per cent, while Queens Council Member Julie Won finished third with about seven per cent. The seat is being vacated by retiring Representative Nydia Velázquez.
Two other Indian American candidates also advanced to the general election without facing primary challengers. Harjot Singh, an immigration lawyer, will be the Democratic nominee in New York State Senate District 2 and will face Republican incumbent Mario Mattera in November.
Republican assemblymember Anil Beephan Jr also advanced unopposed and will face Democratic challenger Brooklyn Talarico in Assembly District 105.
The New York results came as candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America recorded wins in several races across the city, including in Queens, where Rajkumar lost and Valdez won the 7th Congressional District primary.
The mixed outcome in New York followed gains by Indian American and south Asian candidates in Georgia’s Democratic primaries in May. Jyot Singh won the Democratic primary for Georgia House District 97, moving closer to becoming the first Sikh elected official in Georgia history, if he is elected in November. Singh defeated Jacques Laurent with 59.1 per cent of the vote in the open House seat after Samir Romman chose to run for the State Senate, instead of seeking reelection.
In an interview with India Weekly, Singh said his campaign focused on representation, rising costs, healthcare and civil rights, and said he wanted to address what he described as a representation gap in Georgia while fighting for working and immigrant families.
Nabilah Islam Parkes advanced to a Democratic runoff in the lieutenant governor race.
Saira Draper won the Democratic primary for State Senate District 44, and Akbar Ali secured the Democratic nomination in House District 106.
