New Jersey township’s first Indian American mayor ends 42-year GOP streak

A Marine Corps veteran and cybersecurity professional took the oath of office last Saturday to become the first Indian American mayor of Parsippany, New Jersey.

Road to victory: Pulkit Desai, 60, defeated Republican incumbent James Barberio in November by just 80 votes. The narrow margin triggered three legal challenges from Barberio, who had served three non-consecutive terms as mayor. Judge Noah Franzblau of Superior Court dismissed the final challenge two weeks ago, ordering Barberio’s campaign to cover Desai’s attorney costs while noting that the petitioner’s claims were “not based on any information.”

Desai, a first-time candidate, had built his campaign around taxpayer concerns, including warehouse and housing construction, developer incentives and property taxes in the township of 56,000 residents.

About Desai: A six-year Marine Corps veteran who deployed during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Desai spent close to 30 years in cybersecurity for a New Jersey-based Fortune 500 company after leaving the military. His turn to politics began at a lake association he led, where members paid extra fees for voting privileges, a practice Desai called a poll tax that drove his civic engagement.

On Saturday’s swearing-in, he stood with his wife Sangeeta and told the crowd he would bring Marine principles to the mayor’s office. These include “adapt, improvise and overcome” and “No excuses, no whining, no blaming the last guy.”

Why this matters: Desai’s victory alongside Democrats Matt Kavanagh and Diya Patel ended 42 years of Republican control in Parsippany, as the last Democratic council majority came in 1984. The Democratic wins reflect demographic shifts in Parsippany, where Asian Americans now form the largest ethnic group and where voters turned out heavily on issues of development, taxation and accountability. For Asian American communities, the results show local representation is achievable even in difficult political climates. Incoming Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who will be inaugurated Jan. 20, and Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way both attended the ceremony.

Desai closed his inaugural remarks with optimism, saying “Parsippany’s best days are still ahead.”