India-born Lisa Kaul wins a New York State Senate seat from the Republicans

Lisa Kaul, a Democrat who was born and raised in India, has won New York’s 39th State Senate district in the US midterm elections. She defeated the Republican senator Rob Rolison, according to results reported by The American Bazaar.

Ms. Kaul received 62,883 votes, or 55.2%, against Mr. Rolison’s 51,009, or 44.8%. Her margin was 11,874 votes.

Why it matters

The result takes a Republican seat for the Democrats. Mr. Rolison had held the district, in the Hudson Valley north of New York City, since 2022 and was seeking a third term. The district takes in parts of Dutchess, Orange and Putnam counties. In 2024 Mr. Rolison won it narrowly, with 50.7% of the vote.

Who she is

Ms. Kaul grew up in India, where her mother was a teacher and her father an army officer. In her campaign biography, she said her family had little money, and that reliable electricity and clean water were not always available.

She studied at the University of Delhi and then went to the University of Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, where she earned a PhD in social and cultural anthropology. She moved to the United States in 2004 and became a US citizen in 2008. She lives in Poughkeepsie.

She worked at Vassar College, where she ran its office for community-engaged learning. She served on a local school board from 2011 to 2013. In 2023, she won a seat on the Dutchess County Legislature from a Republican, with about 58% of the vote.

What’s next

New York’s new State Senate term begins in January 2027.