Indian-American candidates win runoff races in Texas’ city councils

Sanjay Singhal, a retired energy executive and IIT Delhi graduate, secured a decisive victory over fellow Indian-American Nasir Hussain in Sugar Land’s District 2.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Two Indian-American candidates have won their respective city council runoff elections in Texas.

Sanjay Singhal, a retired energy executive and IIT Delhi graduate, secured a decisive victory over fellow Indian-American Nasir Hussain in Sugar Land’s District 2.

According to unofficial results from Fort Bend County, Mr. Singhal received 2,346 votes against Hussain’s 777.

Sukh Kaur, a Sikh-American and education reformer, scored a landslide victory in San Antonio to retain her District 1 council seat.

Ms. Kaur, a nonprofit leader who lives in San Antonio with her husband and two children, defeated challenger Patty Gibbons with 65 per cent of the votes.

“This victory belongs to the residents of District 2,” Singhal told supporters.

“I am deeply grateful for the community’s support and ready to serve with transparency and dedication,” said Singhal, who campaigned on transparent governance, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement.

Ms. Kaur, the first Sikh woman elected to the San Antonio City Council, focused her campaign on affordable housing, public transit expansion, and inclusive urban development.

“I think we really talked to the community and shared that we want to work,” Kaur told the media after the results.

“And one of the things that we said is District 1 is about preserving our history while still moving our district forward,” she said.

Both candidates are expected to solidify Indian-American representation in Texas’s civic leadership.

In a closely watched mayoral contest in Sugar Land, a Houston suburb with a large Indian-origin population, Carol McCutcheon defeated William Ferguson to become the city’s new mayor. She will succeed Joe Zimmerman.

McCutcheon secured 6,103 votes, while Ferguson received 5,402, according to unofficial tallies.

McCutcheon, a retired reservoir engineer with decades of public service experience, said she entered the race to help guide Sugar Land’s growth with “strategic vision”.

Her priorities include improving crime response, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring quality of life for residents.

The latest round of municipal elections reinforces Texas’s status as a growing hub of Indian-American civic engagement and leadership, with expanding representation in key urban centres like Houston and San Antonio.

Swearing-in ceremonies for the new council members and he mayor are expected in the coming weeks.