Another Indian American Democratic Socialist, Aparna Raj, Wins D.C. Democratic Primary for Ward 1

A massive crowd of supporters gathered around Aparna Raj to cheer her victory in the race for the Democratic Party candidate to represent Ward 1 in Washington, D.C.

Candidate for Ward 1 in D.C., Aparna Raj (holding a bouquet), surrounded by supporters after her win in the Democratic primary June 21. PHOTOS: Instagram @aparnafordc.com

The 32 year-old Raj, who is described on her campaign website and social media accounts AparnaforDC, as a Democratic Socialist, is the 3^rd known Indian American on a road to potential victory, after Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of NYC, and candidate for Los Angeles Mayor in the November runoff Nithya Raman.

If Raj wins in November, she will be the first Indian American elected to the District Council of the US Capital. It would be an even greater win for the Democratic Socialist Party which has its endorsed candidate Janeese Lewis George for Mayor of D.C.

Aparna Raj holds up ticket showing she has voted in the Ward 1 Democratic primary for District of Columbia.

In the ‘Meet Aparna’ section of her campaign site, it says, “Aparna is a renter, a queer woman of color, and a democratic socialist fighting to lower the cost of living.”

An activist for stable housing, good public schools, union jobs and strong public transit, Raj’s Ward 1 includes Columbia Heights, Park View, Adams Morgan, Mount Pleasant, Shaw, U Street, Kalorama, Howard, and LeDroit Park.

“I never thought I would run for office, but I was tired of seeing a status quo that was grinding people down, having to beg our own government to maintain tenant and worker protections as the cost of living soared, and seeing our own elected leaders’ absence as we were fighting to protect immigrants from ICE,” Raj says upon her victory in the primary, results for which were declared June 21. She posted it on her Instagram account, aparnafordc.

A poster from Democratic Socialists of America showing the two candidates endorsed by the party – Aparna Raj for Ward 1 District Council seat in D.C., and Mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George.

“This campaign has been about more than one person. It’s about the seniors who can only afford to live here because of their rent stabilized unit. The family who doesn’t know if they can afford childcare. The immigrant who has built a life & a community here and is worried it will be ripped away. The high school students who need to know that their city still cares about them. And that is exactly what the office will be about too,” Raj says, adding, “It’s an honor to officially be your Democratic nominee for the Ward 1 DC Council seat.”