Former immigration attorney and state legislator Pooja Sethi is running for Texas House District 47. She won the Democratic primary in March with 76.0% of the vote. In the general election, she will face Republican Jennifer Mushtaler, who ran unopposed in her primary. The incumbent, Democrat Vikki Goodwin, is not seeking reelection and has endorsed Sethi as her successor.
Sethi says she is running because of inadequate public school funding and a lack of minority representation. She has described seeing families plead for more resources for their schools while lawmakers ignore their concerns. As a mother, she says the issue is personal because she wants better opportunities for her own children. “We cannot keep telling kids that they matter while passing budgets and bills that say otherwise,” Sethi said. “We cannot keep watching families beg for change while those in power walk away.”
Immigration is another major focus of her campaign. Drawing on her experience as an immigration attorney, Sethi wants to protect immigrants facing discrimination and what she views as an unfair legal system. If elected, she would become the first Indian American and Hindu to serve in the Texas Legislature, giving her campaign an added significance for minority and immigrant communities.
Sethi’s policy priorities include public education, water conservation, grid reliability, and affordability. She has criticized low teacher pay, inadequate special education funding, and the diversion of resources toward private schools. She also views water conservation and grid infrastructure as increasingly urgent issues, particularly as wildfires remain a threat. At the same time, rising healthcare, housing, and education costs are putting pressure on families. Rapid population growth has outpaced investment in the district’s public institutions, leaving many working families struggling to keep up.
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Sethi does not fit the traditional image of a Texas politician. Her background has also made her a target of criticism from Texas conservatives. Far-right political commentator Savannah Hernandez posted a photo of a Sethi campaign sign on X with the caption, “Welcome to Politics in Texas.”
Sethi responded, “My heritage isn’t an insult. It’s my story. And like millions of Americans, it’s rooted in hard work, faith in this country, and service to our community. If that bothers you, that says more about you than it does about me.”
If Sethi wins, she will face the challenge of serving in a Republican-controlled Texas House, where Republicans hold an 88–62 majority. As one Democratic legislator, her influence would largely come through her votes and ability to shape legislative priorities rather than directly controlling policy outcomes. Still, she has made her positions clear. She supports redirecting property tax revenue to address disparities between neighborhoods, strengthening the state’s power grid, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.
A Sethi victory would carry significance beyond individual legislation. As the first Indian American to serve in the Texas Legislature, she would bring a new perspective to state government and represent a growing Indian American community. Her campaign comes at a time when anti-Indian sentiment has become an increasingly visible concern, making her candidacy both a political contest and a potential milestone for Indian Americans in Texas.
The general election between Sethi and Mushtaler will take place on November 3. For Sethi and the communities she hopes to represent, the election offers the possibility of both political change and a historic first.
IC youth writer Amitav Dhingra contributed to this story.
