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Opens the app if installed, or Google Play to download it.Muslim candidates also secure victories in state legislatures; Indian-American Nabeela Syed wins Illinois State Senate seat
Eight Muslim candidates have won seats in the US Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, including Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.
El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, according to media projections, winning the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
A physician and former public health official, the 42-year-old campaigned on healthcare, reducing living costs and limiting corporate influence in politics.
Seven Muslim candidates also won seats in the House of Representatives, according to preliminary election reports. Four incumbent Democrats – Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Andre Carson and Lateefah Simon – secured re-election, while Adam Hamawy and Darializa Avila Chevalier won their first congressional elections.
Aisha Wahab, who entered Congress after winning a special election in August, also won a full term representing California’s 14th Congressional District, according to updated preliminary reporting.
Muslim members of the US Congress
US Senate
| Candidate | State | Party | Election |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abdul El-Sayed | Michigan | Democrat | Elected |
US House of Representatives
| Candidate | State | Congressional district | Election |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilhan Omar | Minnesota | 5th | Re-elected |
| Rashida Tlaib | Michigan | 12th | Re-elected |
| Andre Carson | Indiana | 7th | Re-elected |
| Lateefah Simon | California | 12th | Re-elected |
| Adam Hamawy | New Jersey | 12th | Elected |
| Darializa Avila Chevalier | New York | 13th | Elected |
| Aisha Wahab | California | 14th | Won full term |
Muslim members of state legislatures
Muslim candidates also won seats in state senates and state houses, which are separate from the two chambers of the federal Congress.
State senates
| Candidate | State | Election |
|---|---|---|
| Nabeela Syed | Illinois | Elected |
| Abbas Alawieh | Michigan | Elected |
| Omar Fateh | Minnesota | Re-elected |
| Zaynab Mohamed | Minnesota | Re-elected |
| Kayse Jama | Oregon | Re-elected |
| Aber Kawas | New York | Elected |
| Maryam Khan | Connecticut | Re-elected |
| Saud Anwar | Connecticut | Re-elected |
| Ruwa Romman | Georgia | Elected |
| Sheikh Rahman | Georgia | Re-elected |
| Haseeb Fatmi | North Carolina | Re-elected |
| Mujtaba Mohammed | North Carolina | Re-elected |
| Iman Jodeh | Colorado | Elected |
| Amar Mukunda | Maryland | Elected |
Nabeela Syed, an Indian-American Muslim Democrat who previously served in the Illinois House, defeated Republican Darby Hills to win the 26th State Senate District. The victory transferred the seat from Republican to Democratic control.
Aber Kawas, a Palestinian-American community organiser, won New York’s 12th State Senate District, becoming the first Palestinian-American Muslim woman elected to the state’s legislature.
Ruwa Romman, who previously served in Georgia’s House of Representatives, won the state’s 7th Senate District.
State houses and assemblies
| Candidate | State | Election |
|---|---|---|
| Jalal Abdallah | Michigan | Elected |
| Alabas Farhat | Michigan | Re-elected |
| Munira Abdullahi | Ohio | Elected |
| Ismail Mohamed | Ohio | Elected |
| Mohamud Noor | Minnesota | Re-elected |
| Samakab Hussein | Minnesota | Re-elected |
| Madinah Wilson-Anton | Delaware | Re-elected |
| Tarik Khan | Pennsylvania | Re-elected |
| Farooq Mughal | Georgia | Elected |
| Salman Bhojani | Texas | Re-elected |
| Suleman Lalani | Texas | Re-elected |
| Abdelnasser Rashid | Illinois | Re-elected |
| Sean Stinnett | Maryland | Re-elected |
| Caylin Young | Maryland | Re-elected |
| Sarah Wolek | Maryland | Re-elected |
Other elected positions
Muslim candidates also won positions outside the federal and state legislatures.
Letitia Plummer was elected Harris County judge in Texas, becoming the highest-ranking elected Muslim woman in the state, according to Religion News Service.
In North Carolina, Sana Siddiqui won a seat on the Raleigh City Council, while Samira Khan was elected to the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education, according to preliminary election reporting.
More than 160 Muslim candidates contested local, state and federal offices across the United States, compared with 145 in 2022, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
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