Washington, October 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has campaigned for Indian American Democrat Pia Dandiya in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, as a new poll shows her in a close contest with Republican candidate Casey Askar ahead of the November 3 election.
Buttigieg joined Dandiya at a canvassing launch in Plantation on Monday as Democrats seek to strengthen their position in the competitive district. Buttigieg, considered a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, has been campaigning for party candidates in key races.
“I’m thrilled to host Pete in the 22nd District, as we work to build a campaign bigger than any one of us,” Dandiya said, describing his support as an honour.
A poll sponsored by the super PAC A Fight Worth Having and conducted by RedBox Research put Dandiya at 46.3 per cent and Askar at 45.5 per cent. The survey of 550 likely voters was conducted from October 20 to 23 and has a margin of error of 5.1 percentage points, placing the candidates effectively within a statistical tie.
The poll, released on October 25, found Dandiya leading among independent voters by 56.8 per cent to 24.9 per cent. However, other indicators present a mixed picture: The Cook Political Report has shifted the race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss-up”, while Decision Desk HQ’s forecast model gave Askar a 58 per cent chance of winning as of October 23.
Askar, a businessman, reported nearly $1.9 million in campaign cash on hand as of October 14, compared with about $735,000 for Dandiya. He has also lent his campaign approximately $6.7 million during the election cycle.
The contest has attracted substantial spending from outside groups. Federal Election Commission filings cited in the source report show No Going Back PAC spending about $6.5 million opposing Dandiya, while House Majority PAC reported $7.84 million in spending against Askar.
Dandiya, a former educator and technology executive, is part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue programme.
The district was historically more favourable to Democrats before Florida lawmakers redrew its boundaries to give Republicans an estimated advantage of around 38,500 voters. Approximately 55 per cent of voters in the revised district backed President Donald Trump in 2024.
If elected, Dandiya would join the small group of Indian Americans serving in the US Congress. Early voting in Florida continues through October 31.
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