Georgia: South Asian Candidates Secure Key Wins, Advance To Runoffs 

India-West News Desk

ATLANTA, GA- Several South Asian candidates secured victories and runoff spots in Georgia’s primary elections May 19, in a state home to more than 600,000 Asian American residents.

Among the top races, Nabilah Islam Parkes advanced to a Democratic runoff in the race for lieutenant governor, positioning her to potentially become the first South Asian and Asian American nominee for the office from either major party in Georgia history.

“Georgians showed up in huge numbers tonight because they are sick and tired of the status quo,” Parkes wrote on Instagram after the results. “I’m honored that so many voters have put their trust in me, and I’m going to keep fighting for an affordable and fair economy that will allow all of our families to thrive.”

Rahul Garabadu also advanced to a runoff in the competitive State Senate District 7 race after narrowly missing an outright victory. In a message posted on Instagram, Garabadu thanked supporters and volunteers and said the campaign would continue focusing on key issues facing the state ahead of the June 16 runoff election. “It’s official: we are heading on to the Runoff Primary Election on June 16th,” Garabadu wrote. “Your time will have a bigger impact than ever before.”

The election also produced outright primary victories for several South Asian candidates across Georgia.

Jyot Singh won the Democratic primary for State House District 97 and is on track to become the first Sikh elected official in Georgia history. Singh marked the victory with a brief social media post that read: “We Won.”

Saira Draper won the Democratic primary in State Senate District 44, while Akbar Ali secured the Democratic nomination in House District 106, where he currently serves as Georgia’s youngest state legislator.

Chintan Patel, executive director of Indian American Impact, said the results reflected growing political representation for South Asian communities in Georgia.

“Last night’s results in Georgia speak to the growing political power and representation of our communities,” Patel said in a statement released by the organization. “We are thrilled to see so many South Asian leaders stepping into the halls of power and ensuring our communities have a voice at every level of government.”