Mary Thomas, an Indian American attorney, running to win the Republican Party nomination, narrowly lost her bid to enter the US House of Representatives in the Florida primary held here last Tuesday. The 38-year-old Thomas lost the party’s primary by 1,700 votes, to surgeon Neal Dunn in what was a nasty GOP primary for the Congressional District 2 of Florida currently held by Democrat Gwen Graham, who chose not to run because the district became more solidly Republican.
“Congratulations to our next Congressman Neal Dunn. Together we will work to Make America Great Again. Thank you to our many volunteers who were so passionate about our conservative cause,” Thomas wrote on her Facebook page after conceding her defeat.
The Florida 2nd district is likely to see a Republican win in November, meaning Neal Dunn is probably the next member of the House to represent Tallahassee in Congress. Thomas, whose parents arrived in America from India in 1972 and settled in Pinellas County, would have made history as the first Indian American woman to serve in Congress, if elected.
Mary Thomas, who wanted to stop Common Core, immediately repeal Obamacare, and supported term limits, was endorsed, amongst others, by the conservative Club for Growth, House Freedom Caucus chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio (A, 94%), and the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List. Dunn was endorsed by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. (F, 38%) and supported by the ESA Fund, the same establishment PAC that targeted Tim Huelskamp in Kansas this year.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Thomas has been a member of Governor Rick Scott’s administration since he was sworn into office in January 2011. Currently, she serves as the General Counsel at the Department of Elder Affairs where she manages and oversees the legal department of an agency that administers a $900 million budget.
