Three South Asian Americans running for the U.S. Congress from Virginia were unsuccessful in the June 18 primaries. Ahsan Nasar, a Democrat, lost in the 11th Congressional District to incumbent Rep. Gerry Connolly; while Republicans Manga Anantatmula and John Prabhudoss were defeated in the 10th and the 7th District, respectively. 

Nasar received 5,938 votes or 14.2 percent, compared to a whopping 36,002 or 85.8 percent by Connolly. On the GOP side, Anantatmula received 1,357 or 5.1 percent in the four way race won by lawyer and business executive Mike Clancy. It was a much crowded field of six candidates for Prabhudoss who came in at fourth spot with 711 or 2 percent. 

Currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Ashan Nasar serves as a Judge Advocate (military lawyer). The father of seven children previously worked as a federal prosecutor before joining the National Institute of Standards and Technology as a legal specialist in cybersecurity. Until recently, he was a senior attorney working across the government on cybersecurity issues at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). He resigned his position at GAO to challenge Gerry Connolly in the Fairfax County Democratic Primary. 

Manga Anantatmula, a Trump supporter, who calls herself as “Mega MAGA Manga,” immigrated to the United States from India 35 years ago and has lived in Fairfax County ever since. On her website she describes herself as “a legal immigrant into this country who lived the American dream.” As a first-generation immigrant “our wonderful nation gave me and my family the chance to live that dream,” she continues. She was running for Congress “to keep the American Dream alive for everyone – freedom and liberty with equal justice under the Rule of Law.”

John Prabhudoss’ website described him as “a common sense conservative who has been living in Virginia for the past 20 years.” He is an entrepreneur who has opened and operated several small businesses, from software consulting to retail and restaurant businesses, over the past 20 years. 

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Additionally, he works with various evangelical and mainline church organizations on a range of issues. He has traveled extensively to Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to study how America’s domestic and foreign policies affect their lives and what kind of impact it has on American families back here. 

For the past three decades, he has worked with Members of Congress on various economic, financial, and social justice issues that affect every American family besides issues affecting America’s national security interests. As a leader embraced by diverse ethnic, religious, and political groups, he “brings people together through a common sense, non-compromising approach,” his website says.