Washington: Indian-born Amish Shah has made history in American politics. Born in Chicago and the son of Gujarati immigrant parents, Amish Shah has defeated a former American football player in Arizona to win the US Congress. He has become the first Indian-American elected to the US Congress from Arizona. His victory is being considered a major achievement for the Indian community in American politics.
Amish Shah, a 48-year-old emergency room doctor, defeated Republican candidate and former NFL kicker Jay Feely in Arizona’s First Congressional District. Feely had the support of US President Donald Trump. When major media outlets announced the election results, Shah was leading with approximately 53 percent of the vote, while Feely received approximately 46 percent.
Shah’s victory has transferred a Republican-held seat to the Democrats. This brings the number of Indian-American lawmakers in the US House of Representatives to six.
After winning, he said, “I will represent all voters”
After his victory, Amish Shah said that he was honored and grateful for the opportunity the people of Arizona’s First Congressional District gave him to represent them in Congress.
He stated that he would serve as a representative of every voter in the area, regardless of whether they voted for him or not. Shah also assured that he would work together, transcending political party differences.
Both rivals have worked for the same team
Amish Shah and his election rival, Jay Feely, also have an interesting past relationship. They worked together for the New York Jets in 2008. Feely was the team’s kicker, while Shah provided emergency medical assistance to players on the sidelines.
Nearly two decades later, the two faced off in a crucial US Congressional election battle, which Shah won.
Born into a Gujarati family, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
Amish Shah was born and raised in Chicago. His parents were engineering students and immigrated to the United States from India in 1969. His father is Jain and his mother is Hindu.
Shah speaks fluent Gujarati and maintains a close connection to his Indian roots. In a 2023 interview, he stated that his parents regularly brought him to India. He also cited Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat as a source of inspiration for his public service.
He studied at Northwestern University and earned a medical degree. He then received a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley.
Shah has won the Arizona Assembly elections three times
Before entering national politics, Amish Shah was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. He strengthened his political influence by winning three consecutive elections in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
In 2024, he ran for the US Congress for the first time, but narrowly lost to Republican candidate David Schweikart. Schweikart later resigned to run for governor, prompting Shah to re-enter the fray.
Inflation and healthcare remained a focus of the campaign
During his campaign, Shah highlighted issues such as reducing the cost of living, improving healthcare, and protecting Medicare and Medicaid. He also opposed the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
His stance on immigration for skilled professionals is also likely to be a topic of discussion, as a large number of Indian professionals in the US are involved in this issue.
Amish Shah joins the ‘Samosa Caucus’
Amish Shah’s victory will also strengthen the strength of the ‘Samosa Caucus,’ an informal group of Indian-American lawmakers in the US Congress. This group includes Indian-American lawmakers.
The incoming House of Representatives will include Amish Shah and Pia Dandia of Florida, along with current Democratic lawmakers Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, and Suhas Subramaniam.
These two newcomers will replace Raja Krishnamoorthi and Shri Thanedar, who failed to secure their respective parties’ nominations in the 2026 elections.
The new US Congress will begin its session on January 3, 2027. Following the midterm elections held on November 3, the Democratic Party will take control of the House of Representatives.
The US House of Representatives has a total of 435 voting members. All seats are up for election every two years. Each lawmaker represents a congressional district in their state and serves a two-year term.