CAIR, Jetpac, MPower Change: 26 American Muslim Candidates Win in Nov. 5 Elections for Total of 34 Muslims Elected in 2019

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and Jetpac, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing American Muslim representation in politics and the media, and MPower Change, one of the largest Muslim-led social and racial justice organizations in the United States, today reported 26 American Muslim electoral victories nationwide in yesterday's off-year election.

[NOTE: These results are preliminary and subject to change.]

Throughout 2019, CAIR, Jetpac and MPower Change have identified at least 34 Muslim candidates who won elections in local and statewide races across the country. More than 80 Muslims ran for office this year at the local and state level.

"These electoral victories clearly indicate that American Muslims are stepping up and showing their commitment to public service," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We congratulate these Muslim trailblazers who are creating a more inclusive democracy for everyone."

"American Muslims are running for office in large numbers because more of us are realizing that we have a unique perspective that will help fix massive inequities in healthcare, education, and the criminal legal system," said Jetpac Executive Director Mohammed Missouri. "We're also aware that 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."

CAIR, Jetpac, and MPower Change's preliminary statistical breakdown of American Muslim candidates running for office in 2019 shows: 

• 81 Muslim candidates in total ran for an elected office in 2019
• 29 women
• 52 men
• Of those, 34 Muslims won elections in the 2019 calendar year
• 16 women
• 18 men
• Of those, 26 Muslim candidates won their election yesterday
• 13 of those Muslim candidates won an election for the first time yesterday
• 7 women
• 6 men
• 13 of those Muslim candidates were incumbents won reelection yesterday
• 5 women
• 8 men

CAIR, Jetpac, and MPower Change maintain an up-to-date public database of over 500 Muslim candidates that have run for office in the past several years.

SEE: American Muslim Candidate Master List
http://www.islamophobia.org/reports/247-the-rise-of-american-muslim-changemakers.html

On behalf of the American Muslim community, CAIR, Jetpac, and MPower Change congratulate the following Muslim candidates on their hard-fought and trailblazing victories:

Maine

• Pious Ali – Portland City Council (reelection)
• 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)

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

• Omar Tarazi – Hilliard City Council

Pennsylvania

• 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

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 at that time ran for public office since the election of Donald Trump in 2016 and the subsequent rise in anti-Muslim bigotry. CAIR and Jetpac note that as of this posting, the number of American Muslims who have run for office since 2016 is 365.

SEE: CAIR, MPower Change and Jetpac Release Updated Report on Muslim Political Mobilization in the Trump Era https://www.cair.com/cair_mpower_change_and_jetpac_release_updated_report_on_muslim_political_mobilization_in_the_trump_era

The report includes profiles of those who ran for office during 2018 and 2019, including newly-elected Pennsylvania State Representative Movita Johnson-Harrell, Virginia State Delegate Dr. Ibraheem Samirah and Montgomery (New Jersey) Township Mayor Sadaf Jaffer, among many others elected in 2019.

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

Jetpac (Justice Education Technology Political Advocacy Center) is a training and educational organization that seeks to build a strong American Muslim political infrastructure and increase the community's influence and engagement.

MPower Change is one of the largest Muslim-led social and racial justice organizations in the United States. Rooted in the Islamic faith and the Prophetic model, it believes in building a more just world for all people.

CONTACT: CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

http://www.cair.com