Swati Dandekar, 53, won the Iowa state assembly election from the 36th District in Marion for the third time, defeating her Republican opponent Nick Wagner by more than 10 per cent of the votes polled.
"It is really satisfying. The fight was tough, as the Republicans spent a lot of money for the campaign," Dandekar said after the victory. "They used negative tactics. But we ran our campaign on a positive platform. Many people appreciated our approach," she said.
When she contested the election for the first time, her opponent focused on her Indian origin. It became a controversy, forcing the Republican Party to dissociate from its own candidate. Dandekar, India Abroad Person of the Year 2003, says life has not changed much in the last four years as a lawmaker. "My two sons are grown up. My husband Arvind has given his full support for my work. So I love the work as a lawmaker and helping people."
Also read: Swati Dandekar re-elected to Iowa assembly
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