Washington: Niraj Antani, a 23-year-old Indian-American student was today elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, becoming one of the youngest state lawmakers in the US.
"I am deeply honored to have been elected your State Representative for Ohio's 42nd House District. Thank you all so much for the support. "I will work hard & fight every day for my constituents in the Ohio House of Representatives. Together, I know that we can create opportunities so all can achieve their American Dream," Antani wrote on his Facebook profile moments after winning the election.
A law student at the University of Dayton, he is the youngest Ohio State legislature so far. He defeated 62-year-old Patrick Morris of the Democratic Party.
Antani graduated from Ohio State University in spring last year with a bachelor's degree in political science. He is the second Indian American - after Jay Goyal who served 3 terms from 2006 from the 73rd District - in the Ohio House.
Antani's parents came to the United States in 1987 and settled in Washington Township. Later, they moved to Miami. His father Jaimini died in 2010. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Saira Blair became America's youngest elected lawmaker as a delegate in the West Virginia House as she defeated a 44-year-old attorney for the spot in the House of Delegates.
A freshman at West Virginia University, Blair won her election with 63 per cent of the votes and will represent a small district in West Virginia's eastern panhandle.
There are more than 7,300 state legislators in the US, and fewer than five per cent are under the age of 30, according to Morgan Cullen, a policy analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The average age in Congress is 57, and the average age in the United States Senate is 62.
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