Pia Dandiya, the Democratic candidate for Florida’s Congressional District 22, told CBS News Miami why she is running, in an interview on the station’s “Facing South Florida” program with Jim DeFede.
The district was drawn as part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s redistricting effort to help Republicans win more seats. It stitches together parts of at least four existing districts, covering sections of Broward, Palm Beach and Hendry counties, a large part of the Everglades and Marco Island on the Gulf Coast. Because it spans three media markets, it has drawn little attention so far. Her Republican opponent is Casey Askar, a Naples businessman and Marine veteran who says he will always back President Trump’s agenda.
Dandiya, who was raised in Palm Beach County by parents from India, said her early trips to India showed her that not all democracies are equal. That experience, she said, led her to a career in public service. She has worked as a teacher and high school principal in Harlem, served as a White House Fellow and most recently worked at Apple on modernizing technology systems.
She said she is running to fight for a future worthy of her students and her 3-year-old son. She described the country as being in an existential moment and called for a new generation of leaders who will legislate for the future. Education and affordability are central to her campaign.
