Indian-origin Saritha Komatireddy is running to become the New York Attorney General next year. The former federal prosecutor has sought the Republican nomination to replace Lelita James as several states head towards AG elections.
The next election for New York Attorney General is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
What charges was Lelita James facing?
James, the first African American and first female New York Attorney General, was indicted in October by a federal grand jury in Virginia on two counts: one charge of bank fraud and one charge of making false statements to a financial institution.
These charges arose from allegations that she misrepresented a Norfolk, Virginia, property purchase in 2020 as a residence to secure better mortgage terms, when it was intended for rental.
The mortgage fraud case has recently dismissed, even as a right-leaning watchdog group has filed a fresh ethics complaint against her.
With the charges against James dismissed, the incumbent AG is favoured to win as in most cases, AGs are re-elected without substantial opposition, according to a Reuters analysis.
Who is Saritha Komatireddy?
The 41-year-old was born to doctors who immigrated to the US from Telangana. She grew up in Missouri and as a former federal prosecutor, she is now seeking the Republican nomination to run for New York Attorney General.
She has completed her education at Harvard University and is currently working as an adjunct faculty member at the Columbia Law School, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She has also served as the Deputy Chief of Appeals at the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, according to Columbia Law School.
Komatireddy has tried several criminal trials
Komatireddy, whose campaign is grabbing eyeballs, has tried eight federal criminal trials and has argued more than a dozen cases before the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In 2020, Trump had also nominated her to a federal court in New York, according to PTI.
She has also received numerous awards for her work as a federal prosecutor, including three Attorney General’s Awards, two True American Hero Awards, and the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Prosecutor of the Year Award.
‘If New York isn’t safe, nothing matters’
Komatireddy took to X to share a clip of the terror attacks New York City had faced, making safety the cornerstone of her election agenda.
“I’m running for Attorney General because we need a prosecutor in charge, focused on New York and focused on safety. I hope you’ll join our campaign, because if New York isn’t safe, nothing else matters,” she wrote on X.
