Thomas lost the party’s primary by just 1700 votes, to surgeon Neal Dunn.
Indian American attorney Mary Thomas narrowly lost her bid to enter the US House of Representatives in the Florida Republican primary.
38-year-old Thomas lost the party’s primary by just 1700 votes, to surgeon Neal Dunn in what was a nasty GOP primary for the Congressional District 2 of Florida currently held by Democrat Gwen Graham, who chose not to run because the district became more solidly Republican.
“Congratulations to our next Congressman Neal Dunn. Together we will work to Make America Great Again. Thank you to our many volunteers who were so passionate about our conservative cause,” Thomas wrote on her Facebook page after conceding her defeat.
Thomas, whose parents arrived in America from India in 1972 and settled in Pinellas County, would have made history as the first Indian American woman to serve in Congress, if elected.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Thomas has been a member of Governor Rick Scott’s administration since he was sworn into office in January 2011.
Currently, she serves as the General Counsel at the Department of Elder Affairs where she manages and oversees the legal department of an agency that administers a $900 million budget.