Aruna Miller, an Indian-American, made history by becoming the first immigrant to assume the office of Lieutenant Governor in Maryland as Wednesday’s crucial midterm elections came to a close in the United States. And she’s the first woman of South Asian descent to hold such a senior position in the United States.
Aruna, a 58-year-old former delegate to the Maryland House, ran for lieutenant governor alongside Wes Moore, the Democratic Governor-elect. The Lieutenant Governor is the state’s second-highest official and fills the function when the Governor is absent or unable to serve.
Tuesday evening, just after polls closed, Wes Moore and Aruna were declared winners over their Republican opponents. They were supported by both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during their campaigns.
“Maryland, tonight you showed the nation what a small but mighty state can do when democracy is on the ballot. You chose unity over division, expanding rights over restricting rights, and hope over fear. You chose Wes Moore and me to be your next Governor and Lieutenant Governor,” she said in her victory speech.
When Aruna was seven years old, she moved to the United States (US) from Hyderabad. In 1989, she graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Later, in 2000, she became a permanent citizen of the United States and began working at the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.
She is married to Dave Millers and she is a mother of three girls. Since the beginning of her political career in Maryland, she has enjoyed popularity among Indian Americans. Several Republican and Trump fans backed her during the midterm elections and contributed to her campaign.
From 2010 until 2018, Aruna represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates. In 2018, she ran for Congress in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District and finished second out of eight candidates.
Soon after the results were announced Aruna expressed her happiness and gratitude tweeting about it. “There’s no place I’d rather be than with voters! Our community has pushed us to be our best selves this campaign and I cannot even begin to put my gratitude into words for your commitment and support,” read the tweet.
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