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Neil Patel says U.S.-India ties, jobs key to congress bid
Republican candidate outlines economic agenda and community-focused platform in Northeast Ohio race.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 25, Mar 2026
- 17:28 EDT
- 28
Neil Patel / Instagram/Neil Patel
Neil Patel, an Indian-origin community leader and economic development advocate, is running for Congress in Ohio’s 13th District, pitching his campaign as one centered on economic revival, and public service.
The Republican has also emphasized his commitment to developing stronger international partnerships, with a particular focus on U.S.-India relations.
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Describing himself as “the son of three mothers”—his biological mother, India, and the United States—he said in campaign messaging, “From my homeland in India, to right here in America I have the experience of building bridges with the right people for the greatest good. It is time to send me to Washington so that I can do the same thing for Northeast Ohio.”
He cited his past work with U.S. lawmakers and international partners, saying he collaborated with U.S. Senators John D. Rockefeller IV, Joe Manchin and Robert Byrd to advance U.S.-India partnerships and regional development.
On domestic priorities, Patel states that he is focused on what he describes as the economic pressures facing families in Northeast Ohio, including rising costs, housing affordability and the loss of local jobs.
“Families here are getting crushed: skyrocketing prices for groceries, gas, and housing, factories shuttered, and young people leaving Northeast Ohio for jobs that should exist right here at home,” he said.
Patel has proposed bringing back manufacturing, construction and skilled trades jobs, cutting red tape, supporting small businesses through tax relief, and pursuing healthcare reforms aimed at reducing costs.
He has also called for major infrastructure investment in roads, bridges, broadband and water systems, while backing efforts to make college more affordable and strengthen skilled trades programs.
Other campaign priorities include healthcare access, education reform, public safety, environmental protection, women’s empowerment and support for families in distress.
Patel has also highlighted his work in criminal justice and reentry efforts, saying he helped pioneer reentry programs as an appointee to the Delaware County Community Corrections Planning Board.
“Everyone deserves a second chance once they have paid their debt to society,” he said.
Drawing on his immigrant journey, Patel said he arrived in the United States with just $20, adding that Ohio “welcomed me and my family with a generosity that words can hardly capture.”
The experience has encouraged him to build a campaign centered on inclusion and public service.“Every time I meet someone and share the vision of this campaign, I do so with a servant’s heart,” Patel said.
According to his campaign website, Patel played an important role in helping facilitate foreign investment, creating jobs and building business partnerships in Ohio. It also says he helped bring Tata Consultancy Services to the state and foster cross-border economic ties.
Patel has presented the race as a broad appeal for change rather than an ideological one.
“This campaign isn’t about left versus right,” he said in campaign messaging. “It’s about Ohio’s 13th District versus a broken system in Washington.”
Ohio’s 13th Congressional District covers parts of Northeast Ohio, including Akron, Canton, North Canton, Massillon and Kent. The primary election is scheduled for May 5.
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