The first-time candidate now faces an open seat in Florida’s 22nd District
Dandiya originally entered the race in the 21st District, where she planned to challenge Republican Rep. Brian Mast. After DeSantis redrew the map, she transferred her campaign to the 22nd District, an open seat that Democrats view as one of their best chances to regain the House majority in November.
The Guardian reported that Florida’s new congressional map was part of a national redistricting campaign encouraged by President Donald Trump to strengthen Republicans’ narrow House majority. In Florida, the redistricting was expected to give Republicans an advantage in 24 of the state’s 28 congressional districts and was expected to put as many as four additional House seats within Republicans’ reach.
The new 22nd District was formerly contained almost entirely within Palm Beach County. The revised boundaries combine populated areas on Florida’s east and west coasts with rural and agricultural areas between them.
Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics describes the redrawn district as leaning Republican. Its demographic mix has not been tested in an election, however, leaving the outcome uncertain.
Dandiya said voters have more immediate concerns than the boundaries of congressional districts.
“Redistricting, to me, represents what people just hate about politics, that it seems like a solution in search of a problem instead of actually solving the problems that are keeping people up at night,” she said.
“I would argue that most families are not staying up at night worried about the congressional lines across the state, but they are staying up at night wondering how they’re going to make ends meet, about whether we are handing our children a country, that we are leaving them in good hands.”
Dandiya is a professional educator and a first-time candidate. She was born in Palm Beach County and served as a White House fellow at the education department during the Biden administration. Her parents immigrated from India, and she has a three-year-old son.
She said the district change presented a steep learning curve but that her background as a teacher made her comfortable with the challenge.
“I’m a teacher, so I love learning, and I love diving in head first,” Dandiya said.
Dandiya has traveled between communities ranging from heavily Democratic to strongly Republican, speaking with voters and attending community events. She said the campaign’s approach is to meet people where they are and listen to their concerns.
The campaign transferred a substantial war chest from the original district, with fundraising above $2 million, according to The Guardian. Dandiya has received endorsements from Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel and state lawmakers.
The Florida AFL-CIO and Emily’s List have also endorsed her. Emily’s List said Dandiya’s background in education, policy and innovation prepared her to bring “a new kind of leadership to Washington” focused on “progress, opportunity and putting people over politics.”
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Dandiya to its Red to Blue program this month, a designation that signals national Democratic support for her campaign. She faces Earley, an attorney and the only other Democrat in the primary, on Aug. 18.
Dandiya said voters she has met across the district share concerns about stability, safety and opportunity.
“I’ve become very convinced on the campaign trail that most families want the same things for their lives, they want stability for my generation, they want safety and dignity for my parents’ generation, and they want a world of opportunity for my three-year-old son’s generation,” she said.
“That rings true in district 22 as much as it does in district 21,” Dandiya said. “What we are experiencing is universal, it’s not Democratic, it’s not independent, it’s not Republican, it’s what all of us are experiencing.”