Indian American Impact Fund Announces Further 2018 Endorsements

WASHINGTON — Today, the Indian American Impact Fund (“Impact Fund”) endorsed two top-tier candidates for the United States House of Representatives:

• Sri Kulkarni in Texas’s 22nd Congressional District. Sri is a former Foreign Service Officer who served overseas tours in Taiwan, Russia, Iraq, Israel, and Jamaica and as a foreign policy and defense advisor to U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. A majority-minority district, the Texas 22nd also includes the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, which is home to a large Indian American community.
• Dr. Hiral Tipirneni in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District. An emergency room physician, cancer research advocate, and community leader, Dr. Tipirneni is running in a special election to fill the seat vacated by former Congressman Trent Franks. Having recently won her primary decisively with 60% of the vote, she now moves on to a general election on April 24th.

“In an incredibly competitive year for Congressional candidates, Sri and Hiral have demonstrated the passion, tenacity, and drive it takes to run, win, and lead,” said Raj Goyle, co-founder of Impact and a former member of the Kansas House of Representatives, adding “Now it’s up to all of us to help them across the finish line.”

Earlier this year, Impact Fund endorsed two other Congressional candidates: Aftab Pureval in Ohio and Aruna Miller in Maryland. Impact Fund continues to closely monitor the campaigns of over 60 Indian Americans on the ballot in 2018 and will issue further endorsements in coming weeks.

“As a community, we are extraordinarily proud of the four Indian Americans already serving in the House of Representatives,” said Deepak Raj, co-founder of Impact and chair of the Impact Fund. “By electing Sri and Hiral, in addition to Aftab and Aruna, we will double our ranks in Congress this November and send a powerful signal that the Indian American community has truly arrived.”

A political action committee, Impact Fund works with experienced operatives, campaign strategists, and donors to endorse candidates based on their viability and commitment to advocating for the needs and values of the Indian American community.

Last week, Impact Fund celebrated its first victory of the 2018 cycle when its endorsed candidate Ram Villivalam effectively won his campaign for the Illinois State Senate.