US House Candidates, AR-1 Chintan Desai & TX-11 Jennie Lou Leeder Join Us

Chintan Desai is a teacher and educator from Helena, Arkansas.

He was born in San Luis Obispo, California. His parents, Dipak and Daksha, immigrated from Mumbai, India in search of a better life. With little money and few friends, they built a new life for themselves and their son.

?Their journey to America was not without great cost. They left behind a community of family, friends, and loved ones. But they understood that America was a place of opportunity, where their hard work would be rewarded. And they worked hard.

The day after graduating from college, Chintan moved to Helena, Arkansas, where he taught fifth grade social studies.

Jennie Lou Leeder, 7th generation Texan, is an educator, a businesswoman, a coach, and has served 10 years as County Chair for the Llano County Democrats (2007-2017).  

Jennie Lou's family moved to Llano when she was 9 months old. She is a graduate of Llano High School. She graduated Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Agriculture Education and minor in Physical Education. She also graduated Ohio University with a Master of Science in Athletic Administration.  Growing up she was active in 4-H and received the Texas Gold Star Girl Award.  She is very proud that her family was awarded the Texas Century Farm Award in 1992.
 

During her tenure as Llano County Democratic Chair, Jennie Lou was a member of the Texas County Chairs Association and was on the Executive Board.  In 2014 she was elected Senate District 24 Committeewoman where she served one term and also sat on the Rural Subcommittee, Urban County Subcommittee, and  Legislative Committees.  She was a national delegate to the DNC in 2008 and 2016.