Indian American businessman Thanedar wins key House primary in Detroit

Belagavi-origin Indian American entrepreneur Sri Thanedar has won last week’s Democratic party’s primary from the Congressional district of Detroit, a result which political pundits say has all but assured him a victory in the November mid-term elections. Thanedar, 67, won his party’s nomination in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District on August 2, quelling 8 other high-profile candidates in the crowded Democratic primary. He will now face Republican Martell Bivings in the November elections. Given that Detroit is a Democratic bastion, Thanedar’s victory in the November mid-term elections is a foregone conclusion, say analysts. “A new (Indian American) member is going to be elected in Detroit…. Five of us now,” Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna told PTI. Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives, along with three others Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congressman Ami Bera and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal constitute the Samosa Caucus in the House of Representatives. According to Detroit News, Thanedar has committed to over USD 5 million of his wealth to the election campaign.

“This race was not about me. Michigan’s 13th Congressional district is one of the poorest in the country, and I will fight for economic and racial justice in Congress,” Thanedar said in a statement.

”We must continue the fight against the special interests that seek to divide us and prevent us from achieving the basic rights that we all deserve. We have a lot of work in front of us, and you can count on me to continue fighting for our communities,” he said.

Thanedar immigrated to the United States from Belagavi in Karnataka in 1979 to obtain his PhD in polymer chemistry from the University of Akron (1982) after receiving a Masters Degree at the University of Bombay (1977).

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)