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Maryland Democrat Lieutenant Governor-elect Mrs. Aruna Miller also made Maryland history, in the 2020 Election, by becoming the first immigrant to win the office. Miller, who immigrated to the United States from India at age seven, is also the first Asian-American elected statewide. Democrat Governor-elect Wes Moore is the first black man-who has Caribbean (Jamaican) roots- to be elected to the position.
Last December when Moore selected Miller he said she would make an extraordinary lieutenant governor for the state of Maryland. “She is a principled and experienced legislator, a civil engineer and infrastructure expert, and a leader in her community.”
Miller represented District 15 in the Maryland State House from 2010 to 2018; where she worked to invest in STEM education, streamline the regulatory process for small businesses and was a champion for working families, survivors of domestic abuse, and the environment. She was the first Indian-American to get elected as a delegate in Maryland.
She is considered a fierce supporter of people’s rights and pressed for legislation to restart celebrating ‘labour day’ in schools.
She is also a vibrant supporter of gun control and has proposed background checks of the buyer, extensive research, and increasing the age limit to buy guns.
She is credited for playing an instrumental role in the ban of fracking which is considered a significant step in the progressive environmental policy. Fracking creates a huge amount of wastewater, emits greenhouse gases such as methane and other dangerous components.
Aruna worked for over 30 years as a civil and transportation engineer in Montgomery County helping improve the safety of the public and alleviate traffic, and creating equitable transportation access to connect people to opportunities.
In her 2018 bid for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, Miller came in second out of eight candidates and earned endorsements from EMILY’s List, the National Education Association, Sierra Club, CASA of Maryland, 314 Action, End Citizens United, and others.
Miller was a former executive director of Indian American Impact, an organisation that supports the representation of the Indian-Americans in different levels of the U.S government.
58-year-old Aruna graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is married to David Miller and a mother of three.
On November 8 when the results declared the Democratic ticket victorious, Aruna said “Maryland, tonight you showed the nation what a small but mighty state can do when democracy is on the ballot. You chose unity over division, expanding rights over restricting rights, and hope over fear. You chose Wes Moore and me to be your next Governor and Lieutenant Governor.”
Making reference to the famed ‘American promise’, she made known that, “Ever since I came to this country in 1972, I’ve never stopped being excited for the promise of America. I will never stop fighting to make sure that promise is available to everyone. And this promise begins with a commitment to deliver a Maryland where we leave no one behind.”
She, along with Moore, will be sworn in to office next January.
