A Businesswoman Invests Heavily to Become Virginia's First AAPI Congresswoman

ASHBURN, Va.– Over two decades ago, when Krystle Kaul was still a teenager, she told people around her about her aspiration to become a Congresswoman. They asked her: was there anyone in our Indian American community who was a politician? Did you see anyone who looked like you in Congress? Both answers were obvious: NO. But now, there are five. And Kaul aims to be the sixth.

Krystle Kaul is an Asian American businesswoman running for Congress in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, competing against 11 Democratic candidates and four Republicans. The Democratic primary election in this district has become one of the most contested across Virginia since the incumbent, Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton(D), announced her retirement due to health concerns last September.

While most frontrunners in this race are former or current Virginia state legislators, Kaul, a political newcomer, has raised over a million dollars, making her one of the top fundraisers in the district. Approximately half of Kaul’s campaign money comes from her own fortune. She is investing heavily in herself to become the first-ever Congresswoman from the Asian American and Pacific Islander(AAPI) community to represent Virginia’s 10th Congressional District on Capitol Hill.

Kaul amassed her wealth by running a defense tech firm that has assisted minority businesses in securing government contracts over the past several years. She said that she considered the money she loaned to her campaign as “seed money.”

“I believe strongly in putting your money where your mouth is. If I'm asking people to invest in me, I wanted to first invest in myself,” said Kaul.

Though she had no donor base, Kaul raised over $470,000 per Federal Election Committee in addition to her own money. Her campaign fund places her second among the 12 Democratic candidates, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Kaul said she believed that her successful fundraising proved that “people really resonate with my message.”

Like most Democratic candidates, Kaul has a strong stance on protecting women’s reproductive rights and advocating for gun control. Combatting MAGA extremism is also one of her top priorities.

Kaul has made an commitment to the AAPI community from which she comes. As a multi-language speaker with abundant overseas experiences, Kaul is confident in her ability to connect with the diverse communities within the district. Virginia's 10th Congressional District is a diverse region with over 15% of its population being Asian constituents.

Kaul said she believed “strongly in Asian values, for example, education.” She promised to prioritize addressing discrimination against Asian students on campus and promoting equity in college admissions if elected.

Drawing on her own experiences and those of students from the AAPI community, she emphasized the importance of having and amplifying voices that understand and advocate for their concerns in Congress. “We need representation, and we need to stand up on issues that are concerns of our particular community,” Kaul said.

Though she is a first-time political candidate, Kaul has harbored the ambition of becoming a congresswoman since she was a teenager over two decades ago. However, at that time, no one around her believed politics was a viable path for an Asian girl.

“When you don't see representation, it's very hard to imagine yourself in that kind of position,” Kaul said, explaining the situation.

Growing up, Kaul saw no one who looked like her in positions of power. She witnesses the success of the AAPI community across various professions, yet a glaring absence of representation in politics leads her to recognize the urgent need for greater representation of the AAPI community.

“If you don't see a path, you have to blaze that trail,” Kaul said. She chose International Relations as her major at American University and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and pursued Political Science at Brown University. Running for office is another attempt to practice Kaul’s passion for politics and policymaking.

Now, as a congressional candidate, Kaul is determined to be that “trailblazer,” as she described, and the voice that she wished she had heard in her youth. She aims to win the race and pave the way for the next generation in the AAPI community, inspiring them to pursue careers in politics and address the issues affecting their communities.

Kaul is not the only AAPI candidate in this race. Another Indian American, a Pakistani American, and a Nepali American candidate are also vying for Congress in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, reflecting its high diversity.

While being an AAPI candidate, Kaul said she was running not just for her own community but for all communities. Despite coming from a minority group, “you are just as American as everyone else out there,” said Kaul.