‘Floridians deserve better’: Pia Dandiya launches campaign to flip Brian Mast’s seat in CD 21

Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast has a new Democratic challenger: Pia Dandiya, a former high school principal and White House fellow who now leads public sector initiatives for Apple.

Dandiya, a first-generation American living with her husband and son in Palm Beach Gardens, just announced her candidacy in Florida’s 21st Congressional District.

She’s running, she said, to “make the American dream accessible to every family across the country.”

“Now more than ever, we need leaders in Washington with a proven track record of putting the American people first,” she said in a statement. “Elected leadership shouldn’t be about headlines or political fights — it should be about the American people.”

Dandiya, a Harvard and Boston University graduate, brings a wide-ranging résumé to the race. As an undergraduate, she spent Summers teaching English to slum children in New Delhi and worked in former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s Office advocating for public education through the “I Have a Dream” Foundation.

She began her teaching career as an instructor in low-income schools as a Teach for America corps member before founding a high-performing high school in Harlem, where every graduate earned admission to college despite 86% living below the poverty line. At age 28, she became one of the youngest principals in the nation.

Her success in education earned her selection to the prestigious White House Fellows program, where she served under Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump. During her time on the White House Domestic Policy Council and at the U.S. Department of Education, Dandiya worked on issues including child development, school nutrition and access to quality education.

Since January 2022, she’s worked at Apple leading public sector partnerships to improve education, health care and government services through technology. She was also appointed by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to the state’s P-20 Council, co-chairing its K-12 Computer Science working group to expand digital learning opportunities statewide.

In her campaign launch Monday, Dandiya outlined a legislative agenda that includes passing universal pre-K, preparing Americans for 21st-century jobs, reducing health care costs and protecting entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.

She also pledged to advocate for abortion rights and invest in strengthening public education with a win over Mast, a combat veteran who has represented the district since 2017 and closely aligned himself with Trump’s “America First” agenda.

“Floridians deserve better,” Dandiya said. “Congressman Mast has stood by as tariffs hurt small businesses, health care costs soar and veterans are left behind — while vital programs like Social Security and Medicare are under fire. We need bold, effective leadership that meets this moment with clarity and courage.”

CD 21 includes all of Martin and St. Lucie counties and part of northern Palm Beach County. The district leans Republican — R+7, per the Cook Political Report — but has pockets of Democratic strength, particularly in suburban communities where education and health care are top concerns.

State records show Dandiya has long lived in CD 21. She was registered as a Republican until 2020, when she switched parties to Democrat.

She is the third Democrat to enter the race against Mast, following Elizabeth Pandich and Bernard Taylor.

So far, no Republican has filed to challenge Mast.

The 2026 Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.