Washington, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Ami Bera, the son of Indian immigrants and the longest-serving Indian American currently in the US Congress, has won an eighth term in the House of Representatives, defeating Republican Robb Tucker in California’s redrawn 3rd Congressional District.
Bera has represented the Sacramento region since 2013 but contested the 3rd district this year following California’s redistricting. His victory returns an experienced Democrat to key national security and foreign policy assignments at a time of strained relations between Washington and New Delhi.
He serves as the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific and is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Bera has been vocal about US policies affecting India, particularly the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee on H-1B visas and tariffs imposed on Indian goods. During a visit to India in September 2025, when leading a five-member congressional delegation, he criticised the H-1B fee as poorly conceived, warning that it could push American technology companies to expand operations in Indian cities such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru instead of creating jobs in the US.
He also opposed the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed on India over its purchases of Russian oil, which took the total tariff burden to 50 per cent. Bera advocated direct engagement between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing that such high tariffs were inappropriate against a friendly country.
Following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military tensions, Bera condemned the attack and called for de-escalation between India and Pakistan, emphasising the responsibility of the two nuclear-armed neighbours to prevent further escalation.
He attended Modi’s address to the US Congress in June 2023 and became co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans in 2015, the first Indian American to hold the position.
Among the three Indian American Democrats re-elected on Tuesday, Bera is considered the most centrist. House voting records show he supported several defence and spending measures that fellow Indian American Democrats Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal opposed. He voted with the Democratic majority in approximately 97 per cent of roll-call votes between January 2025 and mid-September 2026 and missed around 10 votes, according to an analysis of House Clerk records.
A member of the New Democrat Coalition, Bera lists healthcare affordability, the Sacramento region and national security among his priorities.
Born to parents who emigrated from Rajkot in Gujarat, Bera studied at public schools and earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of California, Irvine. He practised medicine for 20 years before entering Congress.
His campaign raised approximately $1.5 million during the 2026 election cycle and had around $1.7 million in cash on hand as of October 14, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
FOLLOW NOW
