Mona Das, an Indian American woman from the state of Washington, has announced her plans to run for the Democratic nomination representing Washington state’s 8th Congressional District. If elected, she will replace Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, who is serving his seventh term as the U.S. Representative for the state’s 8th District.
Das said her passion for working for positive change is fueled by the Bernie Sanders movement and the new energy it ignited. “I am honored and excited to be running for Congress from the 8th District and to represent voters in both Eastern and Western Washington,” Das said in a statement. “Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option. Unlike the current representative, my voice will be powerful and inclusive.”
Das is running one district over from Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, who was elected last fall to her first term in the House. Interestingly, in the Seattle/Pugent Sound area, eight Indian American women are running for various elected offices, or have been elected, including Seattle city council member Kshama Sawant, and Jayapal. Jayapal is the first Indian American woman to serve in the House; Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, is the first Indian American to serve in the Senate.
Das immigrated from India to the U.S. with her parents as a child. She launched her career with international and domestic software companies in the Pacific Northwest. Thirteen years ago, she started her own mortgage company and built it into an award-winning lender in 50 states, serving a population of homebuyers typically ignored by other lenders, according to a Das campaign news release.
“My focus in business has to been to reach out to underserved homebuyers, to educate them, and to champion their home ownership dreams,” she said. “As a community leader, I advocate for those who need a strong voice – immigrants, women and others in our communities who are often overlooked.
“Americans are dissatisfied with government. They want to see more unification, less division,” she said. “In my travels around the district I’ve been hearing that voters have had enough. Enough of absentee leadership. Enough indecisveness. I am a listener, a consensus-builder, a fighter, and I intend to bring it all to this office on behalf of residents in the 8th District.”
