Swati Dandekar comfortably retained her Iowa assembly seat from District 36. She defeated Republican newcomer, Cory Crowley, who is only 22, with a 10 per cent margin.

"I have not got the complete numbers yet. But I feel very relaxed at the outcome," Dandekar said.

Contesting on the Democratic ticket, she polled 9,772 votes (54.4 per cent) against 8,192 votes (45.6 per cent) polled by her Crowley, Republican. The district has 20,000 voters, with whites being the dominant community.

Dandekar, 53, campaigned vigorously despite the demands placed on her time by her legislative work and her responsibility as member of several committees.

Also Read Indian Americans in the fray

The Republicans had identified her constituency as a battleground with the possibility of an upset, and pumped money into the contest in an effort to unseat her. "I believe my record will speak for me," Dandekar had told rediff.com on the eve of the election.

Dandekar played a prominent role in the Kerry campaign, serving as state co-chair of the Kerry campaign. It is widely expected that if Kerry wins the presidential election, Dandekar could be earmarked for a prominent role in the administration.

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