- Four Nepali-speaking candidates won US state legislature seats, including three of Nepali origin and one Bhutanese American, following the recent general elections.
- Re-elected incumbents Harry Bhandari and Sarahana Shrestha are joined by first-time winners Bishwa Bahadur Shah and Mitra Subedi in their respective state houses.
- While four candidates secured victories, Satish Chapagain and Ricky Gurung were defeated in their legislative races in Maryland and New Hampshire.
- The election results signify the increasing political influence of Nepali heritage communities in shaping state-level policies regarding education, healthcare, and immigrant issues.
Washington DC, USA/ Kathmandu: Four candidates from the Nepali-speaking community have been elected to state legislatures in the United States following the November 3 general elections. Three are of Nepali origin, while the fourth, Mitra Subedi, belongs to the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese American community.
Of the six candidates from these communities who contested the elections, four won their respective races and two were defeated.
Those elected are Harry Bhandari of Maryland, Sarahana Shrestha of New York, Bishwa Bahadur Shah of New Hampshire, and Mitra Subedi of Kentucky. Bhandari and Shrestha secured third terms, while Shah and Subedi won legislative seats for the first time.
Bhandari won re-election from Maryland's House of Delegates District 8, securing 19,530 votes. The district elects three representatives. Democratic candidates Nick Allen and Kim L. Ross also won the remaining seats with 19,860 and 19,348 votes, respectively.
First elected in 2018, Bhandari became the first Nepali American to serve in a US state legislature. Born in Parbat, Nepal, he moved to the United States in 2005. He is an educator and has been involved in public policy, particularly in education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and issues affecting immigrant communities.
In New York, Sarahana Shrestha retained her seat in the State Assembly from District 103, defeating Republican candidate Santos Lopez. Shrestha received 40,114 votes against Lopez's 17,840.
Born and raised in Kathmandu, Shrestha moved to the United States in 2001 as a student. She was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2022, becoming the first legislator of Nepali origin in the state. Her political work has focused on climate change, environmental protection, affordable housing, healthcare, public education, and workers' rights.
In New Hampshire, Bishwa Bahadur Shah won a seat in the state's House of Representatives from Hillsborough County District 41. The district elects three representatives, with Shah winning alongside Democratic candidates Lily M. Foss and Tom Stewart.
Shah's campaign focused on addressing rising living costs, improving access to healthcare and childcare, strengthening public education, and expanding support services for senior citizens.
Mitra Subedi also entered a state legislature for the first time after winning Kentucky's House District 30. A Democrat, Subedi is an American citizen of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese heritage. He secured the Democratic nomination by defeating incumbent Daniel Grossberg in the May primary and went on to win the general election without an opposing candidate.
Two other candidates from the Nepali community failed to win their respective races.
In Maryland, Satish Chapagain contested House of Delegates District 7A but lost to Republican candidates Ryan Nawrocki and Kathy Szeliga. Chapagain received 10,789 votes, while Nawrocki and Szeliga secured 16,296 and 15,881 votes, respectively.
Similarly, Ricky Gurung was defeated in New Hampshire's Merrimack County District 10. He received 3,734 votes and finished fifth in a district that elects four representatives.
The latest results reflect the growing participation of people of Nepali heritage in American politics. Their representation in state legislatures has expanded since Bhandari's election in 2018 and Shrestha's victory in 2022.
State legislators play an important role in shaping laws, approving budgets, and determining policies on education, healthcare, housing, and other public services. The election of four candidates from Nepali-speaking communities therefore provides them with a greater presence in state-level political decision-making and an opportunity to raise issues affecting their communities.
