Born and raised in Maryland to immigrants from India and Pakistan, Amar Mukunda is running for Maryland State Senate District 39. He defeated incumbent Nancy King in the Democratic primary on June 23, winning 48.6% of the vote.
Mukunda says his childhood shaped his decision to run for office and inspired his campaign slogan: “Faith. Family. Fortitude.” His parents built successful companies in the 1990s but went bankrupt following the market crash after 9/11. The family moved seven times before Mukunda graduated from high school as his parents searched for new job opportunities. He says those experiences gave him a firsthand understanding of financial insecurity and the challenges many families face.
Mukunda holds a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Amherst College. He serves as a combat engineer in the U.S. Army Reserve and has founded two technology companies in Maryland. He says his military service, childhood experiences, and frustration with Maryland’s current leadership motivated him to enter politics.
Mukunda initially planned to run for the Maryland House of Delegates but changed course in November and challenged Nancy King for her Senate seat. He cited what he saw as poor leadership in the Maryland Senate as the reason for the change.
The primary was a major upset. King had served as Senate majority leader since 2020 and was the longest-serving state legislator from Montgomery County. She had also won more than 80% of the vote in 2022. Despite her political advantage, Mukunda defeated her while spending $55,989 less on his campaign. He also pledged not to accept corporate PAC money, making campaign finance reform a central part of his platform. “Our democracy is not functioning,” Mukunda said, arguing that corporate and lobbyist money has too much influence over politics.
Shyamali Hauth, national endorsements director for South Asians for America, has praised Mukunda’s community-focused approach. District 39 has one of Maryland’s largest South Asian populations, yet it has never elected a South Asian state senator. Mukunda sees that as a gap in representation that he hopes to change.
The district itself is growing rapidly but faces challenges with transportation, housing, and public safety. Residents have raised concerns about heavy traffic and limited public transportation. Housing affordability is another major issue, as private equity firms have increased their presence in the housing market while rents and mortgages have risen. Gun violence, addiction, and homelessness also affect the district. Mukunda hopes to draw on his experience working with young people in underserved communities to address these problems.
Mukunda’s platform centers on four priorities: affordability, gun control, education, and artificial intelligence. He has argued that Maryland could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually by adopting a healthcare system modeled on the Physicians for a National Health Program.
With no Republican opponent in the general election, Mukunda is expected to become the next state senator for District 39 in January 2027. His victory would also make him the district’s first South Asian state senator, marking a significant milestone for Maryland’s growing South Asian community.
IC youth writer Amitav Dhingra contributed to the story.
