Historic Victory: Record 82 Muslim Americans elected in US elections
This year's mid-term elections in the USA turned out to be historic for the Muslim community in America with 82 Muslim candidates sweeping local, state, federal, and even judicial seats in 25 states. a report of the Council on Muslim-American Relations (CAIR) and the Jetpac Resource Centre said.
Although Republican Mehmet Oz, who could have become the country’s first Muslim senator, has lost, the record number of Muslims elected remains a victory. Oz lost his seat in Pennsylvania.
Most Muslim victories took place in red states such as Virginia, Georgia and Texas. The elected Muslim membership list comprises 20 incumbents and 17 new candidates. Popular Muslim politicians like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib have maintained their stances.
The seats won range from city councils to local education councils in the United States House of Representatives.
CAIR started following Mulsim’s electoral victories in 2020 when 71 Muslims were elected. In 2022, that record was broken with the greatest number of election victories in the history of the United States.
Nihad Awad, national executive director of CAIR, said the country was witnessing a “political transformation”.
“Yesterday’s historic string of record-breaking American Muslim electoral victories is a testament to our community’s ongoing rise in American politics and the trust our neighbours have placed in us to represent them and fight for their interests.”
Awad added that this was the “next step” for the Muslim community of America whose voice has been marginalized for a long time.
There have been historical firsts as well. Certain states have elected their first Muslim lawmakers. Georgia chose its first Muslim wife, Nabilah Islam, in the Senate and State Chamber, the state having the second largest number of Muslim lawmakers in the country.
Nabeela Syed, 23, who became the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly, shared the information through social media.
Ruwa Romman became the first American Muslim woman elected to the Chamber of State Representatives. Democrats Mana Abdi, Deqa Dhalac, and Ambureen Rana are the first Muslims elected to the state legislature in Maine, all at the state headquarters, according to the CAIR report.
This victory gives hope to the Muslim community in the United States, many of whom are victims of hate crimes and widespread discrimination. In New York alone, 32 percent of Asian Muslims and 26 per cent of Black Muslims were victimized by hate crimes in 2022, according to a report from the Muslim Community Network.
In a statement, Jetpac Resource Center Executive Director Mohammed Missouri said: “Policy decisions on education, housing, climate, and civil rights are shaped by state legislatures and it is critical that our voice is represented in the policymaking process.”