Padma Kuppa

Padma Kuppa

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Michigan House of Representatives District 41

Successor: Julie Rogers

Predecessor: Martin Howrylak

---

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Personal

Religion

Hindu

Profession

Business analyst

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Padma Kuppa (Democratic Party) was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 41. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. She left office on January 1, 2023.

Kuppa (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan State Senate to represent District 9. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Kuppa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Padma Kuppa was born in Bhilai, India. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1988. Her professional experience includes working as a business analyst for Ally Financial. Kuppa has served as a board member for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and as board president of the Troy Historical Society.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2022

See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Michigan State Senate District 9

Michael Webber defeated Padma Kuppa in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 9 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Webber (R)	50.3	57,953
		Padma Kuppa (D)	49.7	57,158

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 115,111
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 9

Padma Kuppa advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 9 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Padma Kuppa	100.0	23,469

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,469
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 9

Michael Webber advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 9 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Webber	100.0	21,499

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 21,499
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Martin Howrylak (R)

2020

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

Incumbent Padma Kuppa defeated Andrew Sosnoski in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Padma Kuppa (D)	55.0	30,601
		Andrew Sosnoski (R)	45.0	24,992

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 55,593
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

Incumbent Padma Kuppa advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Padma Kuppa	100.0	13,793

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,793
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

Andrew Sosnoski defeated Evan Agnello in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andrew Sosnoski	51.2	4,952
		Evan Agnello	48.8	4,720

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,672
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Josh West (R)

Endorsements

To view Kuppa's endorsements in the 2020 election include:

• LEAP Forward

To view Kuppa's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2018

See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

Padma Kuppa defeated Doug Tietz in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on November 6, 2018.

General election

General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Padma Kuppa (D)	51.3	22,320
	Submit photo	Doug Tietz (R)	48.7	21,170

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,490 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Padma Kuppa advanced from the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on August 7, 2018.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Padma Kuppa	100.0	10,484

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,484
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Doug Tietz defeated Ethan Baker and Ronald Dwyer in the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41 on August 7, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 41

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Doug Tietz	47.7	4,952
		Ethan Baker	44.1	4,581
	Submit photo	Ronald Dwyer	8.2	854

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,387
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Padma Kuppa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kuppa's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Nearly 25 years ago, I moved to Michigan with my husband and two children. I now work to ensure that others find what attracted our family to the Metro Detroit area.

The economic opportunity in the auto industry, family resources, and local public schools were perfect for a young couple with a toddler and a new baby. I fell in love with Michigan and met many kind and caring neighbors - neighbors I volunteered alongside while raising my kids and working in the automotive, finance and IT industries. When you love something, you help it thrive, that’s why I continue to put my heart and soul into community and civic groups, and support small businesses. Now serving my second term as state Representative for HD41, I use what I’ve learned as a parent, working professional, and an interfaith and community leader to find common ground, solve problems, and represent all constituents of Troy and Clawson. I have blazed trails - as the first woman mechanical engineer from my college to becoming the first Asian immigrant in the state legislature. Now I will take that energy and experience to the Senate, and build upon these efforts to advance the needs of our communities.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am a strong advocate for education: great public schools, skilled trades that lead to good union jobs, and affordable college are all critical to having a strong workforce. I will continue to support every child’s right to have access to quality public education, something I did for nearly two decades as PTA mom.
• I understand the impact of rising costs as an engineer, automotive professional and non-profit leader with decades of experience. I have worked for and continue to support small businesses as a legislator - they are critical to our state’s economic success. Planning for affordable housing and ensuring people have access to affordable prescription drugs and quality healthcare, as well as investing in our roads and other infrastructure, are key to ensuring Michigan remains attractive to young families and businesses alike.
• I am committed to protecting our Great Lakes, our groundwater and our natural resources - they are essential to our tourism industry. We must ensure that future generations can enjoy our beautiful state. As a Planning Commissioner I introduced a tree protection ordinance to ensure responsible development while protecting our greenspace. As a legislator, I support the MI Healthy Climate Plan and other measures to protect our environment.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I bring my experience to this office: an engineer in automotive and finance now serving my second term as a State Rep. My top priorities are interconnected: Education, Economy, Environment. A quality public education is critical for success; we must make sure that Michiganders have the skills to make sure that our economy thrives in the 21st century - and that college and skilled trades are affordable and accessible. Michigan is graced with tremendous beauty and natural resources, I want to protect the Great Lakes and ensure access to clean water. Tourism is a top three industry in Michigan and maintaining resources is important for a healthy economy and families. Lastly, policies to promote good jobs are critical for building vibrant communities where families can thrive.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Padma Kuppa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kuppa's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Serving my first term as a legislator, I am also an engineer, a mom, and a community builder. My husband and I moved to Troy 20 years ago because of the good jobs, great public schools, and vibrant community. I love the community and want to help it thrive. I served in K-12 PTAs; I was a Troy Planning Commissioner and a Zoning Board member. I serve on the boards of the Troy Historical Society and the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, and worked with multiple civic and interfaith organizations. In the Legislature, I bring my technical background to the Energy Committee, and my municipal experience to the Local Government and Municipal Finance Committee to solve critical problems. Problem solving requires working together; I advocate for and provide resources to my constituents, and have taken on leadership as Co-chair of the Equal Pay Task Force and Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Historian for the Black Caucus. I want to expand on the work I've started, because I want to improve how I serve my community. We need to protect public education, the environment and small businesses, and promote sustainable development and access to health care.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Education: I attended public schools, so did my kids. Quality public education is the backbone of a strong economy where children of all backgrounds have equal opportunity to succeed. For years, I have fought to stop education funding cuts which are hurting our students and teachers. I oppose diverting funding from public schools to charter schools that aren't held accountable. We need to improve the school funding formula as recommended by the nonpartisan organization FundMISchools.org. The cost of public colleges and universities should be affordable so students can graduate without debilitating debt. We need to improve quality and access to Career and Technical Education so our work force can lead in a changing economic landscape.
• Economy. The covid pandemic created both a public health and economic crisis: my constituents and people across the state are facing financial difficulties because of it. The economic effects are, and will be massive, for individuals, families, and businesses. Foreclosures and evictions because of loss of income, leading to homelessness and empty storefronts and even more job loss, are likely without government help. This will be particularly hard for small businesses. In addition to advocating for federal government support, I believe in supporting small businesses through legislation that allows them and their workers to be able to return to work safely, so that our communities are vibrant.
• Healthcare. The pandemic has shown the importance of health care and paid sick leave. All Michiganders should have access to affordable health care, and no one should be denied because of pre-existing conditions. I introduced HB 5432 to protect healthcare for those with preexisting conditions and HB 5628 to restore the Paid Medical Leave Act. key to keeping people healthy. I am also an advocate for better prescription drug prices, and serve on the Prescription Drug Task Force, and seek to lower the cost of prescription drugs so people don't have to choose between food or medicines. I am a champion for long-term-care infrastructure so seniors can age with dignity. All of this will provide security to Michigan's working families.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As an engineer, I support science-based policy to promote energy efficiency and clean energy to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change such as heavy rainfall events and flooding. We need to incentivize renewable energy production and efficient energy usage across the state, ensure competitive costs with other states. As an example, I introduced HB 4807, to enable more EV charging stations across the state. We need to invest in water infrastructure so all residents have access to affordable clean drinking water and we need to hold polluters accountable for harming our air and water.

As a woman with automotive industry experience, I am interested in policies such as equal pay legislation and supporting STEM Education that are helpful to our economy. I would like to look at the formulae behind revenue sharing and school funding, as they must be adjusted and improved for the current context, to provide better access to quality education for all children. Providing sufficient revenue sharing to local governments and supporting small business to recover from the pandemic leads to a strong economy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an engineer, a mom and an experienced civic leader who thinks logically, works efficiently and is committed to solving the tough problems that Michigan is facing, whether it is adequately funding public schools, protecting our natural resources or ensuring that we have reliable infrastructure. I have compassion, patience and a strong work ethic, and analytical and problem solving skills that I have honed in a wide range of professional settings, including automotive, non-profit and finance. Elected officials need to represent their communities; I am rooted in the community through my decades of volunteering - in the PTA, in civic organizations, in the faith and interfaith community, in city boards and commissions - and have found common ground with people across the community through these efforts.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Padma Kuppa completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kuppa's responses.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

If elected, my three top priorities would be to support public education, protect the environment and fix our infrastructure.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy that I am personally passionate about include public education and school funding, as strong educational opportunities are foundational to a strong economy; the health and wellbeing of local government and fair municipal funding, as local communities with strong services and infrastructure attract business that provide jobs and people/families to make their home in Michigan; and environmental policy, because our natural resources are a trust we are responsible to keep for future generations of Michiganders and has an effect on our health and quality of life everyday, from clean safe drinking water to recreation and tourism.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an engineer, a mom and an experienced civic leader who thinks logically, works efficiently and is committed to solving the tough problems that Michigan is facing, whether it is adequately funding public schools, protecting our natural resources or ensuring that we have reliable infrastructure. I have compassion, patience and a strong work ethic, and analytical and problem solving skills that I have honed in a wide range of professional settings, including automotive, non-profit and finance. Elected officials need to represent their communities; I am rooted in the community through my decades of volunteering - in the PTA, in civic organizations, in the faith and interfaith community, in city boards and commissions - and have found common ground with people across the community through these efforts.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I believe it is critical to build relationships, period, and would definitely do so with other legislators. Building relationships is essential to strong, healthy and sustainable communities - by building relationships and understanding one another's perspectives, we can better identify gaps and find solutions that work for all of us, instead of pitting ourselves against one another.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

One of the most memorable stories from my district is a result of canvassing for my campaign. One of the homes I canvassed was that of a family whose adult daughter was in elementary school with my daughter. As we caught up about what had happened over the years since we had last spoken, I discovered Andrea had become an ICU nurse, and she was very excited that I was running for office. She remembered me from my days of volunteering in the school, and brought back memories from when I was a PTA mom. I love math and always sought to be a role model for girls interested in STEM. I was the only girl in 6th grade aerospace club and had been the only woman in my college's history to do mechanical engineering, so I really wanted to make sure that I provided young people a new understanding of what an engineer looks like. When my kids were in elementary school, I worked on getting kids to participate in a math game called 24 Challenge. Andrea was so inspired by my commitment to the community over the years that she was interviewed for a testimonial video.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2021-2022

Kuppa was assigned to the following committees:

• Local Government and Municipal Finance Committee (decommissioned)
• Rules and Competitiveness Committee
• Tax Policy Committee (decommissioned)

2019-2020

Kuppa was assigned to the following committees:

• Local Government and Municipal Finance Committee (decommissioned)
• Energy Committee

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Michigan

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2022

In 2022, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 12 to December 28.

• Clean Water Action & Sierra Club

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.

• Michigan AFL-CIO

Legislators are scored on labor issues.

• Michigan Chamber

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Michigan Farm Bureau

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture.

• Michigan League of Conservation Voters

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.

• MIRS: Senate and House

Legislators are scored on a number of bills selected by the editor of MIRS, a state capitol newsletter.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].

In 2021, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 13 to December 31. Clean Water Action & Sierra Club Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. Michigan AFL-CIO Legislators are scored on labor issues. Michigan Farm Bureau Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture. Michigan League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. MIRS: Senate and House Legislators are scored on a number of bills selected by the editor of MIRS, a state capitol newsletter. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].

In 2020, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31. Clean Water Action & Sierra Club Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. Michigan AFL-CIO Legislators are scored on labor issues. Michigan Farm Bureau Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture. Michigan League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 9 through December 31. Clean Water Action & Sierra Club Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. Michigan AFL-CIO Legislators are scored on labor issues. Michigan Farm Bureau Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to agriculture. Michigan League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

See also

2022 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Michigan State Senate District 9

Website

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

Personal

Facebook

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Martin Howrylak (R)	Michigan House of Representatives District 41 2019-2023	Succeeded by Julie Rogers (D)

[show]

Current members of the Michigan State Senate

Senators

District 1

Erika Geiss (D)

District 2

Sylvia Santana (D)

District 3

Stephanie Chang (D)

District 4

Darrin Camilleri (D)

District 5

Dayna Polehanki (D)

District 6

Mary Cavanagh (D)

District 7

Jeremy Moss (D)

District 8

Mallory McMorrow (D)

District 9

Michael Webber (R)

District 10

Paul Wojno (D)

District 11

Veronica Klinefelt (D)

District 12

Kevin Hertel (D)

District 13

Rosemary Bayer (D)

District 14

Sue Shink (D)

District 15

Jeff Irwin (D)

District 16

Joseph Bellino (R)

District 17

Jonathan Lindsey (R)

District 18

Thomas Albert (R)

District 19

Sean McCann (D)

District 20

Aric Nesbitt (R)

District 21

Sarah Anthony (D)

District 22

Lana Theis (R)

District 23

Jim Runestad (R)

District 24

Ruth Johnson (R)

District 25

Dan Lauwers (R)

District 26

Kevin Daley (R)

District 27

John Cherry (D)

District 28

Sam Singh (D)

District 29

Winnie Brinks (D)

District 30

Mark Huizenga (R)

District 31

Roger Victory (R)

District 32

Jon Bumstead (R)

District 33

Rick Outman (R)

District 34

Roger Hauck (R)

District 35

Vacant

District 36

Michele Hoitenga (R)

District 37

John Damoose (R)

District 38

Ed McBroom (R)

Democratic Party (19)

Republican Party (18)

Vacancies (1)