Pia Dandiya receives campaign boost from Pete Buttigieg in Florida

Democratic candidate Pia Dandiya, an Indian-American running for Florida’s 22nd congressional district, will be joined by former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for a campaign event in Plantation on October 26. The race is considered a highly competitive toss-up following redistricting efforts by the Florida Legislature that shifted the district's advantage toward Republicans.

Dandiya faces Republican businessman Casey Askar in a contest that has drawn significant financial interest. Super PACs have reported spending approximately $23.89 million in support of and against Indian-American candidates in key races, including Dandiya and Arizona's Amish Shah. Specifically, the House Majority PAC has reported spending $7.8 million against Askar, while Republican-aligned PACs have reported spending roughly $6 million to oppose Dandiya.

While the Cook Political Report recently upgraded the race from Lean Republican to a toss-up, Decision Desk HQ’s forecast model as of October 23 gave Askar a 58 percent chance of winning. Dandiya is a participant in the DCCC’s ‘Red to Blue’ program and has previously received support from figures such as Suzan DelBene and Rahm Emanuel.