Avula’s roots are deep in service. His father Raj grew up in rural India and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 19, serving in the U.S. Navy before working for the Department of Defense. His mother is Lalitha who brought him to the US when he was six months old.

City of Richmond residents appear to have selected Dr. Danny Avula as their new mayor, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections. All the precincts were fully reported just after midnight by VDOE,

On Wednesday afternoon, standing next to outgoing Mayor Levar Stoney in front of City Hall, Dr. Danny Avula laid out his vision for Richmond and his administration, after emerging as the leading candidate in the city’s mayoral race.

Richmond’s newly elected mayor, Dr. Danny Avula, will address residents Wednesday afternoon. Avula, who captured about 46% of the total votes Tuesday, faced four other candidates for mayor. He is well known in Richmond and across the Commonwealth for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Levar Stoney held a press conference with mayor-elect Dr. Danny Avula on Wednesday to talk about the future of Richmond ahead of a change in leadership.

All signs point toward Dr. Danny Avula becoming Richmond’s next mayor.

Danny Avula is poised to win Richmond's mayoral election and beat out four other candidates for the top position in city government. Why it matters: If he wins, he'll be the first-ever immigrant and Asian mayor of Richmond and the first non-Black mayor in over 20 years.

Five candidates hoping to be Richmond’s next mayor will be on the ballot in November, with familiar names and political outsiders eyeing to lead the city.

Avula is a familiar face in Richmond, having served as director of the Richmond City and Henrico County health districts and later state vaccination coordinator during the COVID-19 pandemic.