Chennai-born Pramila Jayapal wins sixth term in Congress

• India-born Pramila Jayapal wins a sixth US congressional term, defeating Republican Nirav Sheth with 88% of the vote

• The first South Asian American woman elected to the US House, Jayapal is a vocal advocate for immigration reform and has criticised Trump's H-1B restrictions

• She will continue serving on key House committees, focusing on immigration, healthcare, economic reforms and US-South Asia relations

India-born Democratic lawmaker Pramila Jayapal has won a sixth consecutive term in the US House of Representatives, defeating Republican challenger Nirav Sheth in Washington state's 7th Congressional District.

Jayapal, who made history as the first South Asian American woman elected to the US House, secured around 88 per cent of the vote against Sheth's 12 per cent, with approximately 54 per cent of the ballots counted when the race was called.

Her victory will return her to a House that Democrats are set to control, where she serves as the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee.

Jayapal is also the only member of Congress to have held both a student visa and an H-1B work visa before becoming a US citizen. Her personal immigration journey has been central to her political career, particularly her advocacy for legal immigration pathways and reforms to the US immigration system.

On election night, Jayapal also welcomed the election of Florida's Pia Dandiya, describing her as the third South Asian American woman, alongside herself and Aishabb Wahab, heading to the House.

Born in India, Jayapal spent her childhood in India, Indonesia and Singapore before moving to the United States alone at the age of 16 to attend Georgetown University. She later earned an MBA from Northwestern University.

In a 2023 statement, she described India as the country of her birth, where her parents continue to live, and recalled being an Indian citizen for three decades.

"The fact that I could come to the United States, become a US citizen, and eventually a member of Congress is a testament to the American dream, and to the incredibly strong and close ties between the people of our two countries," she said.

Jayapal has frequently drawn on her own immigration experience to challenge restrictions on legal immigration introduced by the Trump administration, including the proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee.

During a congressional hearing in December 2025, she accused the administration of "shutting down legal pathways to immigrate" and described its policies as reminiscent of discriminatory immigration quotas. She also raised concerns over increasing anti-Indian hate.

At the same hearing, Jayapal criticised US tariffs on Indian goods, arguing that the measures were damaging India's economy while hurting American businesses and consumers.

She also condemned the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, describing the killing of innocent civilians as unacceptable.

An IANS analysis of US House Clerk records found that Jayapal voted alongside the majority of Democrats approximately 96 per cent of the time on roll calls between January 2025 and mid-September 2026.

She missed around 48 votes during the period, the highest number among the three Indian American Democratic lawmakers re-elected on Tuesday. These included votes in June 2026 concerning war powers resolutions on Iran and Lebanon, as well as Ukraine aid.

House Clerk records also show that Jayapal opposed every Republican immigration bill during the period, including the Laken Riley Act and the Deporting Fraudsters Act.

She voted against the 2026 and 2027 defence authorisation bills, the Republican reconciliation bill and the January 2026 spending package. However, she supported war-powers resolutions concerning Iran and measures seeking to end the national emergency underpinning tariffs on Canada.

Jayapal previously chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus and currently serves as its chair emerita. She also leads the immigration task force of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

In addition, she serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee's South and Central Asia subcommittee and the House Budget Committee.

Among her key legislative initiatives are the Medicare for All Act, which she sponsors in the House, the College for All Act, the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act and the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act.

Her broader political priorities include creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and strengthening collective bargaining rights.

Jayapal's re-election campaign raised approximately $3 million during the 2026 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

The campaign had around $2 million in cash on hand as of 14 October, reflecting its financial position ahead of the November midterm elections.

Her sixth-term victory further extends her presence in Congress, where she is expected to continue playing a prominent role in debates over immigration, healthcare, economic policy and US relations with South Asia.

With IANS inputs