DCCC - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

Living the American Dream

Ashwin Madia's parents came to America from India with $19 in cash and a dream that if they worked hard enough, America would provide opportunities for their children. Ashwin was born in Boston, but the Madia family eventually settled in Plymouth, Minnesota. Madia took his parents' lessons to heart and worked hard to graduate from Osseo Senior High School, the University of Minnesota, and New York University Law School.

Leader and Advocate

Madia served as student body president at the University of Minnesota. He worked with fellow students, administrators, and faculty to keep higher education accessible to all by helping to make college tuition more affordable. He also volunteered as a tutor for children living in a Minneapolis homeless shelter. While in law school, he worked at a legal clinic helping people who had fallen on hard times, and he provided volunteer legal services for an organization that helped developmentally disabled children.

U.S. Marine

After law school, Madia joined the U.S. Marine Corps and moved to Quantico, Virginia for six months of basic training. His first duty station was Okinawa, Japan, where he served as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and legal advisor to a Marine Corps commander. Madia was lead attorney in over one hundred trials, including thirteen jury trials.

Iraq War Veteran

Madia served in Iraq, stationed primarily in Baghdad in 2005 and 2006. He worked with U.S. military and civilian officials, European Union and United Nations representatives, and Iraqi judicial officers on the Integrated Rule-of-Law Mission. He also briefed top U.S. generals on the status of rule of law efforts in the country.

Attorney

Madia finished active duty with the Marine Corps on July 4, 2006. He returned to Minnesota and began practicing law at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, LLP, a respected law firm in Minneapolis. As an attorney in private practice, Madia represented clients in disputes over intellectual property and other business issues. He also performed free legal work as an advocate for victims of domestic violence and for a victim of torture seeking asylum in the United States.

Candidate

Just as his parents dreamed that it would, America has provided Madia with many opportunities. Madia now hopes to draw on his record of leadership, service, and advocacy to represent the western suburbs in the U.S. Congress. As a resident of Plymouth, Madia looks forward to speaking personally with fellow residents of the Third Congressional District about the important issues facing our community today.