Muslim Candidates Win 39 Elections in Local and Statewide Races Across America in 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Jetpac, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing American Muslim representation in politics and the media, reported Nov. 8th that 31 American Muslims won elected office in recent elections. This is considerable since this is an off-year election. That brings the total number of Muslims elected in 2019, to 39.

The two groups reported that more than “80 Muslims ran for office this year” at the state and local level. They identified at least 39 Muslim candidates who won elections in local and statewide races nationwide. They say the victories are subject to change depending on election runoffs.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said “American Muslims are stepping up and showing their commitment” to win election. Awad said the Muslims who won office are “trailblazers.”

Jetpac Executive Director Mohammed Missouri, said that American Muslims are seeking elective office in large numbers because they have a “unique perspective that will help fix massive inequities in healthcare, education, and the criminal legal system.”

Missouri, also said, “staying on the sidelines while anti-Muslim bigotry runs rampant will increase the threat to our community. A truly representative Democracy will help us get out of this dark era as a stronger society.”

“What do Muslim Americans do during a time of heightened Islamophobia under a xenophobic administration? We run for office and win,” said MPower Change’s Executive Director Linda Sarsour. “Muslim Americans are engaging in the democratic process in unprecedented ways and we can’t wait to continue this wave in 2020 to save our democracy.” This is the same Linda Sarsour who was arrested at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court qualification hearings last summer and who called for Jihad Against Trump.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan (D-MI), were elected in 2018 and took office Jan. 3rd as the first Muslim women in Congress. Omar and Tlaib have continuously attracted attention as radical extremist Democrats and Muslim candidates.

Omar is the subject of a UN Monitoring Group investigating her. She is suspected of Somalian and Eritrean links to the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab.

Tlaib made headlines just after becoming one of the first Muslim women members of the U.S. House for yelling “we’re gonna impeach the motherf****r” while referring to President Trump hours after being sworn in to Congress. She has also faced scrutiny over her connections to radical terrorists.

Both Omar and Tlaib took their oath of office on the Koran instead of the Bible. They joined Muslim Congressman Andre Carson, D-Indiana in January 2019.

Here is a list of newly elected adherents to Islam to various political offices and states across the US.

 

Maine

Pious Ali – Portland City Council (reelection)
Marwa Hassanien – Bangor School Board
Safiya Khalid – Lewiston City Council

Maryland
Fazlul Kabir – College Park City Council (reelection)

Massachusetts
Mehreen Butt – Wakefield Town Council (reelection)
Afroz Khan – Newburyport City Council (reelection)
Sumbul Siddiqui – Cambridge City Council (reelection)

Michigan
Ray Muscat – Dearborn Heights City Council (reelection)
Dave Abdallah – Dearborn Heights City Council (reelection)

Minnesota
Nadia Mohamed – St. Louis Park City Council
Abdisalam Adam – Fridley School Board (appointed in 2018 to fill a vacant seat but elected by the public for the first time yesterday)

New Jersey
Jamillah Beasley – Irvington Municipal Council (reelection)
Mustafa Al-Mutazzim Brent – East Orange City Council (reelection)
Denise Sanders – Teaneck Board of Education (reelection)
Raghib Muhammad – Montgomery Township Board of Education
Adnan Zakaria – Prospect Park City Council (reelection)
Esllam Zakaria – Prospect Park Board of Education (reelection)

Ohio
Shammas Malik – Akron City Council
Omar Tarazi – Hilliard City Council

Pennsylvania
Nusrat Rashid – Delaware County Court of Common Pleas
Omar Sabir – Philadelphia City Commission

Virginia
Buta Biberaj – Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney
Ghazala Hashmi – Senate District 10
Babur Lateef – Prince William County School Board (reelection)
Harris Mahedavi – Loudon County School Board
Abrar Omeish – Fairfax County School Board
Sam Rasoul – House of Delegates District 11 (reelection)
Ibraheem Samirah – House of Delegates District 86 (reelection)
Lisa Zargarpur – Prince William County School Board

Washington
Turan Kayaoglu – Puyallup School Board
Zahra Roach – Pasco City Council

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In July, CAIR, Jetpac and MPower Change released an updated version of their report, ‘The Rise of American Muslim Changemakers,’ documenting the 323 American Muslims who to date have run for public office since the election of Donald Trump in 2016.

From 2016 until November 2019, a total of 373 American Muslims have run for public office in the United States according to a Jetpac statement.