US midterms 2026: Who is Ami Bera, Indian-American Democrat seeking re-election from California's newly redrawn district

Indian-American Democratic Congressman Ami Bera is seeking re-election to the US House of Representatives in the November 3, 2026, general election, but will contest from California's newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District instead of the 6th District he currently represents.Bera will face Republican candidate Robb Tucker, a member of the Nevada County Board of Supervisors, in the race. The 3rd District covers large parts of Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties and extends into the city of Sacramento.Bera, who lives in Elk Grove, California, has represented the state in Congress since 2013. He is the longest-serving Indian-American member of the US Congress and serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.Who is Ami Bera?Born in Los Angeles to Indian immigrant parents with roots in Gujarat, Bera is a physician by training and a lifelong Californian. He earned his bachelor's degree and medical degree from the University of California, Irvine.After graduating from medical school in 1991, he completed his residency in internal medicine at California Pacific Medical Center, where he eventually became chief resident. He then practised medicine in the Sacramento area and held leadership positions in healthcare management.Bera later served as medical director of care management at Mercy Healthcare, where he developed strategies to improve care across its seven-hospital system. He also served as chief medical officer for Sacramento County, focusing on healthcare access, affordability and job creation.He subsequently joined the University of California, Davis, as a clinical professor of medicine and associate dean for admissions and outreach, helping train future doctors and support community healthcare initiatives.Bera's political career and prioritiesBera was first elected to the US House in 2012 and took office in January 2013. He has since won re-election six times, building a political career centred on healthcare, economic opportunity and public service.In Congress, he serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee as ranking member of its Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific. He is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the New Democrat Coalition, a group of Democrats that advocates economic growth, innovation and fiscal responsibility.Bera has said his experience as a doctor shapes his approach to public service, with an emphasis on listening to constituents and working across party lines.His congressional office says it has helped return more than $23 million to local taxpayers through assistance with issues such as delayed veterans' benefits and Social Security payments. It has also helped more than 36,000 Sacramento County residents since 2013.Bera currently represents California's 6th Congressional District, which lies entirely within Sacramento County. Following changes to California's congressional district boundaries, he decided to run in the 3rd District in the 2026 election.The contest will pit Bera against Tucker, a Republican who serves on the Nevada County Board of Supervisors. The outcome will determine who represents the district in the US House for the next term.Bera has lived in Sacramento County for more than three decades with his wife, Janine, who is also a physician. They have a daughter, Sydra.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.