Dr. Prasanth Reddy joins Kansas House race

Chennai-born military officer says as an immigrant he’s trying to give back to the country that gave him everything

Indian American physician Dr. Prasanth Reddy has announced his bid for Republican nomination for 3rd Congressional District of Kansas to unseat the incumbent Democratic congresswoman Sharice Davids in 2024.

“As an immigrant, I’ve lived the American dream, and I’ve spent my life trying to give back to the country that gave me everything,” the Chennai-born oncologist and military officer said in a press release Wednesday.

“My whole life, I’ve run toward problems. Whether it was serving cancer patients, or when I became a citizen and an officer in the Air Force Reserve after 9/11, I’ve always sought to be part of the solution.”

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In Reddy’s pitch to voters in the currently Democratic district, he emphasized his position as a political outsider. “I’m not a politician. I’ve never wanted to run for office,” he explained.

“But the unique experiences I’ve had as an immigrant, a military officer, a physician, and a businessman put me in a position to help save our country. Extremist views cannot be the norm. Now is the time to act and to save the greatest country on Earth — the country that made a dream like mine possible,” he added

Calling for secure borders, support for police and parental voice in education, Reddy said that American citizenship is the privilege of a lifetime, and has worked every day to make the most of it.

“Right now, our country is at a breaking point, and there’s no time to sit on the sidelines… I’m stepping up now because it’s time to bring common sense back to this district,” he said.

A resident of Lenexa, Reddy is triple-board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology. He practiced medicine and served in leadership positions for more than a decade in various clinical settings, including academia, private practice, and managed care.

Reddy has served as Senior Vice President & Global head of Enterprise Oncology at Labcorp since 2021. He signed up for the US Air Force Reserve, and is currently a Lieutenant Colonel.

Raised in Kansas, Reddy graduated from Kansas public schools, and earned his bachelor’s in microbiology and psychology from Kansas State University.

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He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical Center, where he completed his internal medicine residency and clinical hematology and oncology fellowship.

Reddy is the third candidate after businesswoman Karen Crnkovich and former cop Jonathon Westbrook, to throw his hat in the ring for the 2024 Republican Primary.

Davids has been eyed by Republicans as vulnerable, particularly because of her past anti-police remarks and voting record of standing against policies meant to prevent repeat offenses and allow police to better enforce laws, according to the Washington Examiner.

While Republicans see the seat as a target, it is still rated as “likely Democratic” by the Cook Political Report.