Ashwin Madia, Democrat (MN-03)
The son of Indian immigrants who arrived in the United States with just $19, Ashwin Madia moved to Plymouth, Minnesota as a teenager. At the University of Minnesota, he was elected Student Body President before moving on to New York University Law School. Shortly after graduating law school, Madia began active duty as a United States Marine, serving in Okinawa, Japan and Iraq. While stationed in Baghdad, he worked with U.S. military and civilian officials, European Union and United Nations representatives, and Iraqi judicial officers to strengthen the rule of law in Iraq.
“It was after I went to Iraq [that] I started thinking about what this war has done to the military and military families, and what it has done to this country," Madia recently explained to MTV News. Formerly a moderate Republican who had volunteered for John McCain’s in 2000, a combination of the Iraq War, his frustration with the borrow and spend policies of the Republican Party, and his commitment to civil rights for all Americans inspired him to switch parties. When Congressman Jim Ramstad announced that he was retiring from his 3rd District seat, Madia leapt at the opportunity to serve his community and his country once again.
Given his experience, Madia is understandably passionate about Middle East issues and foreign policy. Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he supports a strong U.S. role in brokering peace between the parties. He doesn’t believe that the U.S. should impose solutions but that we should embrace efforts by Palestinians who are willing to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist. In Congress, Madia would apply his military and legal experience to ensure that the U.S. is an active and fair broker in the peace process while maintaining our special relationship with Israel.
On Iran, he wants to ensure that Iran is transparent over its nuclear program, understands that it has been a bad actor in Iraq, and is concerned about its support for terrorism. Yet he believes that the U.S. should speak with its enemies and that forceful diplomacy can work, as we have seen in places like Libya. On Iraq, he advocates a responsible withdrawal over a roughly two-year timeframe.
A passionate candidate with an honorable past and a bright future, JStreetPAC was proud to endorse Ashwin Madia.
“It was after I went to Iraq [that] I started thinking about what this war has done to the military and military families, and what it has done to this country," Madia recently explained to MTV News. Formerly a moderate Republican who had volunteered for John McCain’s in 2000, a combination of the Iraq War, his frustration with the borrow and spend policies of the Republican Party, and his commitment to civil rights for all Americans inspired him to switch parties. When Congressman Jim Ramstad announced that he was retiring from his 3rd District seat, Madia leapt at the opportunity to serve his community and his country once again.
Given his experience, Madia is understandably passionate about Middle East issues and foreign policy. Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he supports a strong U.S. role in brokering peace between the parties. He doesn’t believe that the U.S. should impose solutions but that we should embrace efforts by Palestinians who are willing to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist. In Congress, Madia would apply his military and legal experience to ensure that the U.S. is an active and fair broker in the peace process while maintaining our special relationship with Israel.
On Iran, he wants to ensure that Iran is transparent over its nuclear program, understands that it has been a bad actor in Iraq, and is concerned about its support for terrorism. Yet he believes that the U.S. should speak with its enemies and that forceful diplomacy can work, as we have seen in places like Libya. On Iraq, he advocates a responsible withdrawal over a roughly two-year timeframe.
A passionate candidate with an honorable past and a bright future, JStreetPAC was proud to endorse Ashwin Madia.
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