Pete Buttigieg Campaigns For Pia Dandiya In Tight House Race

Photo: Tom Johnson Facebook

India-West News Desk

MIAMI, FL – Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaigned with Democratic candidate Pia Dandiya in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District on October 26, joining a canvassing launch in Plantation as Democrats seek to flip a closely watched House seat rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.

Buttigieg, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, joined volunteers reaching out to voters in the final stretch before the November 3 election. He has been making high profile campaign appearances in battleground states, not just speaking from podiums but knocking on doors for fellow Democrats. 

“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. “He represents the kind of common-sense leadership we need, and his support is a true honor.”

Dandiya said her campaign was focused on mobilizing voters and building support across South Florida. She was among the Democratic candidates included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue program, which supports competitive races.

The Cook Political Report has moved the race from Lean Republican to Toss-up. The only recent public poll, conducted in late August, gave Dandiya a two-point lead. However, Decision Desk HQ’s forecast model gave Republican candidate Casey Askar a 58 percent chance of winning as of October 23.

Dandiya, a former educator and technology executive, faces Askar, a businessman, in a district that had been a Democratic stronghold before Florida lawmakers redrew its boundaries last spring to give Republicans an advantage of about 38,500 voters, according to the Naples Press. Democratic incumbent Lois Frankel did not run in the redrawn district. Under the new boundaries, about 55 percent of voters had backed President Donald Trump in 2024.

The race has attracted substantial outside spending. No Going Back PAC, funded by MAGA Inc., reported spending $5.91 million against Dandiya, while House Majority PAC reported spending $7.84 million against Askar, according to their latest 24-hour Federal Election Commission filings.

Askar had lent his campaign $6.69 million during the election cycle, of which $400,000 had been repaid, according to his FEC filings. His campaign reported $1,881,186.94 in cash on hand, compared with Dandiya’s $735,105.23, in pre-general election reports covering finances as of October 14.

Florida’s early voting period ran from October 24 through October 31, ahead of the November 3 general election.