Priya Sundareshan
Indian-American politician Priya Sundareshan has been elected president of the Arizona Senate, as Democrats prepare to take control of the state legislature and governor’s office for the first time in 60 years, PTI reported.
Sundareshan, 42, has served three terms in the state Senate and was the minority leader in the outgoing chamber.
Addressing the development, Sundareshan said the party’s victory brought a responsibility to deliver changes that voters could see in their everyday lives. “Wherever you live and whoever you voted for, we’re here to work for you,” she said. Let’s get to work,” Sundareshan said. Before entering politics, she taught natural resources law at the University of Arizona and worked with the Environmental Defence Fund, advocating sustainable management of natural resources, according to the news agency.
Her election comes as Democrats secure control of both legislative chambers and the governor’s mansion, marking a significant shift in Arizona’s political landscape. “Voters have opened the door to historic change. Our responsibility is to make sure they feel that change in their daily lives. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Sundareshan comes from an Indian-American family. She has also been involved in voting rights initiatives, leading voter protection efforts and working on redistricting within the Arizona Democratic Party.