Washington, November 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Amish Shah, the Chicago-born son of Gujarati immigrants, has made history by becoming the first Indian-American elected to the US Congress from Arizona, defeating Republican candidate and former NFL kicker Jay Feely in the state’s First Congressional District.
The 48-year-old emergency-room physician, backed by the Democratic Party, defeated Feely, who had the support of US President Donald Trump. Shah was leading by approximately 53 per cent to 46 per cent when major media outlets called the race, flipping a Republican-held seat to the Democrats.
In his victory statement, Shah said he was honoured by the voters’ mandate and pledged to represent everyone in the district, regardless of how they voted. He also promised to work across party lines.
The contest carried an unusual connection between the two candidates. In 2008, both had worked with the New York Jets, with Feely serving as the team’s kicker and Shah providing emergency medical care to players on the sidelines.
Born and raised in Chicago, Shah is the son of Indian engineering students who migrated to the United States in 1969. He speaks fluent Gujarati and has maintained close links with his Indian heritage. He has recalled that visits to India during his childhood and Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat helped shape his interest in public service.
Shah studied medicine at Northwestern University and earned a Master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley. Before entering the Congressional race, he served in the Arizona House of Representatives, winning elections in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
His first bid for Congress in 2024 ended in a narrow defeat to Republican David Schweikert. Shah contested the seat again after Schweikert vacated it to run for Governor.
During the campaign, Shah prioritised lowering living costs, healthcare reform, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, and opposing Trump’s tariffs. His stance on skilled immigration is also likely to draw interest among Indian-American professionals.
Shah’s election takes the number of Indian-Americans in the incoming House of Representatives to six, strengthening the informal grouping known as the “Samosa Caucus”. The incoming members include incumbent Democrats Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Suhas Subramanyam, along with newcomers Shah and Florida’s Pia Dandiya.
The new Congress is scheduled to convene on January 3, 2027, with Democrats set to take control of the House following the November 3 midterm elections.
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