1. Nithya Raman Becomes Los Angeles Mayor, Ranjiv Puri Takes Charge as Michigan House Speaker

Indian-origin leaders have achieved significant success in American politics, with Democrat Ranjiv Puri being elected Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. At 42, Puri has become the first Indian-American to hold the prestigious position. Meanwhile, Democrat Saba Haider has won a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, becoming the first South Asian woman elected to the state's General Assembly.
 

In a Facebook post, Puri said he was looking forward to fulfilling his election promises and working alongside newly elected Senate leader Darrin Camilleri and incoming Governor Jocelyn Benson.
 

Born into a Punjabi immigrant family, Puri was appointed the Democratic Party's leader in the 110-member Michigan House of Representatives in 2025, when the chamber was controlled by Republicans.
 

Puri also holds the distinction of being the first Sikh-American elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2020. He had earlier participated in election campaigns for former US President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
 

Saba Haider Wins Illinois Election with 70.9% Votes
 

In another significant development, Democrat Saba Haider has won the Illinois House of Representatives election. Her victory has made her the first South Asian woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly.
 

Haider secured 70.9 per cent of the votes in the 84th District during the midterm elections. She received 20,756 votes, while her Republican opponent, Brian Skopa, secured 8,520 votes, accounting for 29.1 per cent of the total.
 

Expressing happiness over her victory in a social media post, Haider said, "We did it!" She added that she and her team had spent the past 15 months engaging with voters to understand the changes they wanted and how they could work together to build stronger, more prosperous and inclusive communities.
 

Haider's family originally belongs to Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh. Her family moved to the United States around 20 years ago.
 

Nithya Raman Elected Los Angeles Mayor
 

Meanwhile, 45-year-old democratic socialist Nithya Raman, who was born in India, has been elected Mayor of Los Angeles. With this victory, she has become the first South Asian woman to lead America's second-largest city.
 

Raman, a former member of the Los Angeles City Council, defeated incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, 73, in the midterm elections.
 

Her victory marks another milestone for Indian-origin leaders in American politics. With this development, the two largest cities in the United States, New York and Los Angeles, are now led by Indian-origin mayors who are Democratic Socialists.
 

Nithya Raman's family has roots in Kerala.