Washington, May 24 (PTI) Indian-American congressional candidate from Virginia, Christel Cowell, has raised $1 million for her candidacy, a feat only a handful of newcomers have achieved.

“I have consistently broken barriers throughout my career, from the CIA to CENTCOM and the Pentagon, driven by a dedication to excellence. I became one of the youngest directors on record,” Cowell said in a statement after his campaign announced the $1 million fundraising milestone. Launch at the Department of Defense.

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“I was told multiple times I couldn’t do it, and then I did it,” he said.

Kaul, of Kashmiri and Punjabi descent, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 10th congressional district.

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If elected, she would be the second Indian-American woman elected to the House of Representatives after Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.

A small business owner, college professor and former senior defense official at the Department of Defense who held the highest civilian rank, Cowell is a second-generation Indian-American who has worked under contract defense with Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos and The General. Dynamics of information technologies and others.

“I am pleased to report that this pioneering spirit motivated our campaign and was well received by donors who demand practical, results-oriented leadership,” Kaul said.

“The strong support we received shows that there is a clear demand from Virginia voters for a leader who understands the complexities of national security and emerging technology trends and is ready to enact policy effective,” he said.

Cowell is the only Native American woman in the Democratic field, representing a 44 percent minority district.

“Our campaign turns promises into action, driven by the trust and commitment of our supporters. We are ready to create meaningful change in our district and beyond. “Now is the time to show serious leadership and focus on moving Congress forward,” he said.

“VA-10 is ready to welcome qualified, truly proven, ready-to-go women of color with extensive political experience. “I’m excited to lead the charge to send a national security Democrat to Congress,” Kaul said.

Cowell holds a bachelor's degree from American University and a master's degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and Brown University, where he is completing his doctorate in political science.

He speaks nine languages ​​and holds a Secret/SCI clearance with a polygraph.

(This is an unedited, auto-generated story from a syndicated news feed; current staff may not have edited or edited the text)