Washington, September 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has praised the growing representation of Asian Americans in his administration, telling an Indian American gathering that diversity also means bringing the most capable people into government.
“The AAPI community runs deep in this administration,” Moore said at a re-election fundraiser hosted at the Maryland home of prominent Indian American physician Dr Arul Vigg. “And it’s not just because we believe in diversity, it’s because we believe in working with the best.”
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, elected representatives, entrepreneurs, physicians and community leaders attended the event.
Moore highlighted several Asian American officials serving in senior roles, including Susan Lee, Sanjay Rai, Portia Wu and Meena Seshamani. He reserved particular praise for Miller, describing his Indian-born lieutenant governor as a friend, partner and guide.
“When we talk about what is the moral compass of the Moore-Miller administration, you do not have to look any further than our Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller,” he said.
Miller said the gathering reflected the immigrant community’s belief in opportunity, civic participation and giving back. She cited Indian American entrepreneur Anil Sharma, whom she said arrived in the US with $100 and later built 22nd Century Technologies into a billion-dollar company.
“You bring success, you earn success, but you give back to your community,” Miller said.
Dr Vigg, a kidney specialist who studied medicine in India before completing his residency in Ohio, said his parents had travelled from India to attend the event and credited their “love, sacrifice, and lifelong example” for shaping his life.
Moore also contrasted Maryland’s approach with policies of President Donald Trump, criticising federal job cuts, immigration operations and the deployment of the National Guard in neighbourhoods. He said Maryland had instead worked with local law enforcement and community organisations.
The governor claimed Maryland’s violent crime rate had fallen by nearly 60 per cent during his tenure. Miller also credited Moore with helping reopen the shipping channel 11 weeks after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
Urging supporters to campaign for another Moore-Miller term, Moore said the administration had made progress but still had work to complete.
Moore became Maryland’s first Black governor in January 2023. Miller, a former state legislator and transportation engineer, became the state’s first immigrant and first woman of colour to serve as lieutenant governor.
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