Executive Summary
- Zohran Mamdani is poised to become the first Muslim mayor of New York City, leading a wave of electoral successes for Muslim American candidates.
- Muslim candidates also secured mayoral offices in key cities in Michigan, Maryland, and New Jersey, signaling growing political influence.
- According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the elections marked a record year for Muslim political representation, with 38 victories.
A significant number of Muslim American candidates have won local and state elections across the United States, marking a historic year for the community’s political representation. Key victories in the recent off-year election cycle include Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win in New York City, positioning him to be the first Muslim to lead the nation’s largest city.
In Michigan, a center for the Arab American community, Abdullah Hammoud was re-elected as the chief executive of Dearborn with over 70% of the vote. In nearby Dearborn Heights, Mo Baydoun secured a full term as mayor. Additionally, the mayoral race in Hamtramck is certain to result in a Muslim mayor, as both contenders are members of the faith.
Other notable mayoral victories include Faizul Kabir, who will continue to lead College Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C., and Ted Green, who won re-election for a third term in East Orange, New Jersey. In a significant statewide race, Ghazala Hashmi is set to become the first female Muslim elected to statewide office in Virginia after winning the lieutenant governorship.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported that 38 of 76 tracked Muslim candidates secured electoral victories. “American Muslims are showing up, speaking out, and shaping the future of our democracy,” the advocacy group said in a statement. The group noted the wins demonstrate a growing role as active participants in American civic life.