The South Asian Times excellence in journalism Vol.7 No. 28 November 8-14, 2014 60 Cents New York Edition Follow us on TheSouthAsianTimes.info Obama-Congress tussle ahead With Republicans wresting Senate Control from Democrats and improving their majority in the House, stage is set for their confrontation with the President. Despite electoral drubbing, More assertive Republicans Obama refuses to cede ground setting their own agenda Washington: After a stun- Washington DC: A day ning electoral drubbing, after the Republicans gained President Barack Obama full control of both cham- promised to cooperate with bers of the US Congress, the an energized Republican party leadership outlined opposition, but without their agenda centered around ceding ground on key job creation and economy. issues like his signature But while their leaders health law and immigration Mitch McConnell and John reforms. “To those of you Boehner talked reconcilia- who voted, I hear you,” tion, the bitterness of the Obama said at a press con- past six years vis-à-vis ference in the White House President Obama is not House Republican going to go away. Indeed, Wednesday after the Leader John Boehner “Republicans had a good they also warned him has warned Obama night” as he put it. “To against unilateral decision that a unilateral those who didn’t vote, “I on immigration reform. Retaining his seat from Kentucky action on immigra- hear you too.” House Speaker John and set to become the US Senate tion would “poison In his first remarks after President Obama addressed a press conference Boehner warned that unilat- Majority Leader, Mitch the well” for any the verdict that saw the Wednesday where he said he will work with the eral action by President McConnell celebrated his victory cooperation with the Continued on page 4 Republicans, but on his terms. Continued on page 4 with his wife on Tuesday night. new GOP Congress. Nikki Haley wins second term as SC Governor Washington: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley coasted to victory Nov 4 as her party took over the Senate and House. “It’s a great day in South Carolina,” Haley said to a cheering crowd, as her family stood beside her. She thanked her husband, Michael Haley, calling him the “coolest partner ever” for serving Continued on page 4 Nikki Haley is congratulated Though Rep Ami Bera and Ro Khanna were trailing in their by her mother Raj Randhawa Congressional races from California, they were waiting for at the victory rally in Columbia. many thousands of ballots yet to be counted. US POLLS 2-6 SPORTS 16 PHILANTHROPY 17 SPIRITUAL AWARENESS 30 excellence in journalism 2 November 8-14, 2014 US POLLS 2014 TheSouthAsianTimes.info The South Asian Times frames some prominent faces of the Nov 2 midterm elections. Joni Ernst, first woman to represent Iowa in US Senate: Andrew Cuomo cruises to a second term win: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrates with Joni Ernst is the new US Senator from Iowa. The Republican his running mate Kathy Hochul after defeating Republican challenger Rob Astorino on Tuesday. defeated Democrat Rep Bruce Braley in one of the nation’s He is the first Democratic governor since his father to win re-election in the nation's third closest watched elections. There are now 20 women in US largest state. But his margin of victory, 54%- 41%, was less than that four years ago Senate and about 80 women in the new House – but no when he beat Paladino 63%-33%. improvement over their number in the last Congress. Kamala Harris re-elected as California Attorney General: Partly of Indian origin, she defeated Republican Ronald Gold in Tuesday's election. Following U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's resignation in September, her name was floated for the post, but she said she is not interested at this time. Mia Love – First black Republican woman in US Congress: Mia Love made history in her Saira Blair elected second bid for Congress but she is playing youngest state law- down the milestone, saying: “My victory has maker: The 18-year- nothing to do with race”. She attributed her old economics student, win over Doug Owens (D) in a Utah district to Bobby Kumar on the ballot: Bobby Kumar the fact that “Utahans want to make sure that Saira Blair defeated Kalotee’s name was on the ballot paper for Layne Diehl (Dem), a they are electing people who are honest … New York Lt Governor. Chairman of the who have integrity.” 44-year-old attorney, Sapient Party, the Long Islander community in a 63 % to 30 % leader had lawyer Steven Cohn run for landslide. She will be Governor. They did not win but the effort was representing her commendable. “The Sapient Party will contin- district in the West ue with more determination in the future to Virginia House of achieves its goals so you, and our kids have a Delegates. better future in the state of New York,” he said thanking supporters. Niraj Antani is one of the youngest US lawmakers: Niraj Antani, a 23- year-old Indian-American student, has been elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, becoming one of the youngest state lawmakers in the US. A law student at the University of Dayton, he defeated Patrick Morris, 62 of the Democratic Party. He is the second Indian American — after Jay Goyal who served 3 terms from 2006 from the 73rd District — in the Ohio House. TheSouthAsianTimes.info US POLLS 2014 November 8-14, 2014 3 Ami Bera, Ro Khanna down, but not yet out Washington: As the dust settled down on the US election giving Re- publicans full control of the US Con- gress, two trailing high profile Indi- an-American candidates, Ami Bera and Ro Khanna, both Democrats, were still unwilling to concede de- feat. In the battle for the Silicon Val- ley, incumbent Democrat Ami Bera, only the third Indian-American in the US House after Dalip Singh Saund and Bobby Jindal, was trailing 48.6 percent to 51.4 percent to Republi- can businessman Doug Ose. But Bera expressed confidence that he would erase Ose’s 3,011-vote At an eleciton rally, former President Bill Clinton supported Ro Khanna, also seeking a seat in US House, greets supporters lead, noting that he won two years Ami Bera’s re-election bid for US House from California. at his campaign headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., on Nov. 4. ago after being virtually tied with Republican Representative Dan Lun- are about 60,000 uncounted ballots refused to concede. as saying. “When we started this Francisco Gate said. In a statement, gren on election day. “We still have in the district. Final result is expect- The challenger, who finished elec- campaign nearly two years ago, I Vivek Kembaiyun, a spokesman for thousands of votes left to count, but ed to be declared on Saturday. tion night 3,549 votes behind Honda was polling at just 3 percent. Now, Honda, noted that the seven-term I feel very good about where we are In the Democrats-only tussle for a said a huge number of vote-by-mail they’re still counting the ballots. It’s congressman led both among votes today,” Bera was quoted as saying in South Bay congressional seat too, ballots dropped off at the polls Tues- that close.” Khanna said in an e-mail cast at the polls and in the vote-by- a statement Wednesday by San Fran- Rohit ‘Ro’ Khanna, a former Obama day remain untallied. With an esti- message to supporters Wednesday. mail ballots already counted. ”With cisco Gate. A statement from the Ose administration official, who has chal- mated 40,000 votes still outstanding But Honda and his backers are confi- the information available, it appears campaign also stopped short of de- lenged seven-term Democratic Rep- in the Silicon Valley district, the race dent his current 52 percent to 48 per- that the voters have made their deci- claring victory, noting that there still resentative Mike Honda of San Jose, is far from over, Khanna was quoted cent margin will hold up, the San sion,” Kembaiyun said. Neel Kahskari reflects on losing Many Indian-Americans score in state legislatures Washington: As South Carolina's Indian governor race in California American Governor Nikki Haley and Sacramento, Calif: In a 12-page letter released a day California's Indian-American-African after his lopsided Attorney General Kamala Harris handily defeat to Gov. won their jobs back, many other lesser Jerry Brown, known candidates of Indian origin Republican Neel scored lesser victories in several states. Kashkari said he At 23, Indian-American law student did not anticipate Niraj Antani, a Republican, became one how hard it would of America's youngest lawmakers after be to get his name defeating Democrat Patrick Morris in Ohio's 42nd State House District. out in the nation’s Maryland House Aruna Miller (D) Latha Mangipudi Manan Trivedi most populous In Colorado, Republican Janak Joshi Majority Leader is also elected to (D) was (D) lost the state – and he won from 16th House District, while Kumar Barve Maryland’s re-elected to the Congressional acknowledged Republican Sabi Kumar became the first (D) has won House of New Hampshire race from that most voters Indian in Tennessee State House of again. Delegates. State House. Pennsylvania. on Election Day Representatives. A native of Punjab and graduate of Amritsar Medical College, probably didn’t Indian American Neel Kashkari which has only 165 Indian-American Maryland's District 17 and District 15 know much about lost to three-term Kumar has served as a surgeon in voters.