A growing number of Muslims are running for elected office. [Brooke Anderson/TNA]
Across the US, Muslims are running in the 2026 midterms at the federal, state and local levels, a change from a decade ago, when it was far less common. Some are running for re-election, while others are aiming to hold office for the first time.
They are running at a time when Muslim Americans are facing growing threats under the administration of US President Donald Trump, with crackdowns on immigrants and free speech, harassment, as well as wars in the Middle East.
“One of the biggest things we really appreciated was the emergence of candidates who had expressed their desire and their passion towards a new policy and approach to Gaza genocide,” CEO of Emgage Action, a Muslim voter advocacy group, told The New Arab. At the same time, like other Americans, they are affected by everyday domestic issues.
“There’s this assumption that the Muslim community only care about foreign policy. They also care about kitchen table issues. They have to pay for healthcare, and they don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck,” he said.
One of the most prominent candidates, Abdul El-Sayed, is running for the US Senate in the swing state of Michigan, which is renowned for its Arab and Muslim communities. In some polls, he leads the Democratic primary, and in all polls, he is in the top three. The physician and academic of Egyptian descent came to prominence when he ran for governor in 2016, getting the backing of progressive leader Bernie Sanders. As a Senate candidate, he has made Medicare for All his main platform.
In New Jersey, another diverse state with competitive elections, Adam Hamawy, an Egyptian American physician, is running for US Congress. He launched his campaign after going on medical missions to Gaza. So far, he has raised more money, mainly through grassroots funding, than his competitors in New Jersey’s Democratic primary.
In California, State Senator Aisha Wahab, the daughter of Afghan immigrants, is running for US Congress in Northern California to fill the seat of Eric Swalwell, who abruptly resigned last month following allegations of sexual misconduct. Ahead of the June election, she has more than a hundred endorsements from Democratic leaders and civic organisations.
In the US Congress, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Andre Carson of Indiana, and Lateefah Simon of California are running for re-election and have created something of a path for those coming after them.
More recently, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani became known for the “Mamdani effect” after his win in both the primary and general elections, in which he grew his following through door-knocking, social media, and a team of dedicated volunteers.
In other states, numerous Muslims are running for state and local office, for re-election and for the first time. However, not everyone has been able to weather the difficult political climate. In Maine, where three Somali Americans hold office, one has said she will not seek re-election. In a December press conference, Deqa Dhalac, the country’s first Somali mayor, said she would not seek re-election due to persistent racism, harassment and threats.
It remains difficult for Muslims and other minorities to break through to elected office. However, recent examples show that it is possible at a time when a growing number of Americans seem ready to turn the page from Trump.
