Indian-American candidate for Congress in Arizona says record funding raised

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Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, an Indian-American candidate for United States Congress from Arizona’s 6th District announced her campaign had raised a record breaking $665,000 over the three-month period ending June 30. The results are yet to be posted on the Federal Election Commission website.

According to Tipirneni, this shatters previous records in the District. This becomes more significant as Dr. Tipirneni does not accept any corporate PAC contributions, and more than 90% of her contributions are $100 or less, a July 9, 2020, press release from her campaign said.

Tipirneni is in a four-way race for the Democratic primary which takes place Aug. 4, 2020, less than a month away. She is pitted against one other Indian-American, Anita Malik, an IT professional, as well as Karl Gentles, a communications expert, and small business owner Stephanie Rimmer.

The Indian-American physician’s $665,000 was raised in the period April to June of 2020 bringing her total in this cycle to over $2.4 million. “This is the most a congressional candidate raised in one quarter in the history of the 6th Congressional District,” her campaign claimed.

She enters July with more than $1.65 million on hand in her bid to get the Democratic Party nomination.

“We’re overwhelmed by the grassroots support! Thanks to the thousands of donors across AZ who chipped in! Now, more than ever, AZ families deserve a leader who understands science and will let facts & data- not politics & corporate donors- guide their decisions #AZ06,” Tipirneni tweeted July 9.

This July 2, Tipirneni launched her first TV ad. “As an emergency room doctor I had to solve problems on the spot. No politics, no excuses. Now imagine if Washington worked that way,” Tipirneni says in the TV ad, adding, “Want to solve problems. Let’s change who we send to Washington.”

“Now, more than ever, we need a representative who will work to protect people with pre-existing conditions – including coronavirus – reduce prescription drug costs, and ensure every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare,” Tipirneni said in her press release.

The Arizona Primary Election Ballots have already been mailed out to those who signed up for them and they need to vote by July 24.

If Tipirneni wins the primary, she will be up against incumbent Republican Congressman David Schweikert who has been in the House of Representatives since 2011, first representing District 5, and after the redistricting, District 6 since 2013.

Schweikert’s latest filings are also not available yet on the FEC website. But his total receipts as of March 31, 2020 stood at $1,098,792, with cash-on-hand at $44,232.

Back in 2018, Schweikert garnered 55.2 percent of the vote in the general election Nov. 5, but his opponent, Indian-American Democrat Anita Malik, secured an impressive 44.8 percent of the vote, giving Democrats hope they might be able to turn a Red seat Blue in 2020. Malik’s fundraising is way behind Tipirneni’s, going by the FEC reports.

Prior to 2018, Schweikert had won against Democrats with hefty majorities like 62.1 percent in 2016, and 64.9 percent in 2014.