Democrat-held CD18 in the Hudson Valley is flippable, insists the Indian American, who is using his extensive business and government experience to build a campaign to win the 2026 election. Sharanjit Singh Thind filed his candidacy in September 2025 for the US House of Representatives from New York’s District 18 in the Hudson Valley. A lifelong Republican and Sikh born in Punjab, India, he believes this Democrat-held seat is ready to flip. His campaign focuses on promoting business, making jobs AI-proof, defending family values, and prioritizing community safety. With extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, he sees himself as the best candidate to represent this district north of Manhattan. In a wide-ranging conversation over coffee, Thind told me that he believes he has the blessing of the party’s establishment. Before filing his nomination papers in September, he met with New York Republican State Committee Chairman Ed Cox—son-in-law of President Nixon—to discuss the party’s support. At the time, Thind was told that there were no other Republican candidates in the fray and that the 18th Congressional District (CD-18) would be a strong place for him to run. “But, even with the best intentions and backing of the party leadership, primaries are unavoidable and even healthy,” said Thind. Thind describes himself as fully familiar with CD-18 and notes that he is in close contact with local party leadership, thanks to Chairman Cox. “I am getting a very enthusiastic response when I interact with constituents of all stripes and backgrounds,” he added. While agreeing that the incumbent, Patrick Ryan, defeated Alison Esposito (R) by 14 points in 2024, Thind points to a changed environment that would help him emerge victorious on November 3, the election day in 2026. “People were fed up seeing hotels and motels teeming with illegal migrants housed in the Hudson Valley under President Biden and Mayor Adams. Under Presdient Trump, that threat to law and order has been cleared.” The recent election of self-declared socialist and freebies-promising Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City is worrying all, Thind claims. In sharp contrast are Trump’s America First, pro-business policies, which he supports as do most upstate New York voters. In the context, Thind talks passionately about what has made America the world’s largest economy and a magnet for the world’s best. The answer is: by putting business first. To do that, you have to know about business, which he does, having run media and real estate businesses. Appealing Policy Platform The policy platform Thind is building is solely to serve his constituents he says. “The biggest challenge in the coming months and years,” Thind projects, “is that many, many jobs will evaporate under the AI heat. I am not against AI or automation, but I will make the AI behemoth companies accountable, to make them funnel back some of their profits to retrain the retrenched workers.” Similarly, banks should be held accountable for the financial scams happening under their nose that upend so many seniors’ lives. Promoting tourism in the picturesque Hudson Valley is a no-brainer. “I will give tourism full attention to attract high-paying visitors and create jobs,” says Thind while pointing to a recent Netflix series, ‘Four Seasons’, which was shot there and stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey. With his business acumen and the region’s appeal, he is confident that more entertainment projects will follow. Thind can boast a rich resume that highlights his multifarious career. Armed with an MBA and a journalism degree, Thind arrived in America at the cusp of this century. Over the years, he worked for many reputed companies, founded his own ad agency in Manhattan, and has been Editor-Publisher of ‘The South Asian Insider’ for almost two decades. Recently, he became an author with “The Beginning – Mad Men of Nu Way Advertising,” highlighting his experience at the helm of the once-thriving ad agency on Madison Avenue. Experience in Government and Politics From 2012, he has worked with the government in one capacity or another. He served as a Commissioner on the Nassau County Human Rights Commission until 2018. He also worked with the Receiver of Taxes office in the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in America. In electoral politics, Thind has gained valuable experience helping others run for office. “From local councilman, mayoral to state senate and assembly to DA to Congress races, I have been very closely involved, spending long hours strategizing policy. I have helped raise and also personally contributed to the campaigns of quite a few races,” he says. Twice, he has received the Congressional Excellence award. Running for Congress, Thind insists, he also draws on the perspective he gained as an editor on how government is run and what needs to be done to fix what is broken. To kick-start his campaign, Thind will put his own money into it and seek support from small donors (the maximum individual contribution is $3,535). He clarifies that no government matching funds are available for Congressional races. Because CD18 is flippable and can help the GOP retain control of the House after 2026, Thind expects “America-loving, like-minded” individuals to help lift his campaign to victory. Thind owns a property in the Catskills and is in the process of signing a lease for a house in Saugerties, in Ulster County. He lives with his wife and two sons on Long Island. Thind’s appeal is straightforward: Elect a representative who will bring more jobs and protect those jobs from AI; bring more tourism to the Hudson Valley; expand healthcare benefits; protect family values; and pass laws to save senior citizens from scams.
https://newsindiatimes.com/republican-sharanjit-singh-thind-announces-run-for-congress-from-nys-district-18/