How a wave of Muslim politicians came to power across the United States
– The Washington Times –The 2025 election may well be remembered as a turning point for Muslim representation in American politics.
In New York City, Zohran Mamdani broke barriers by becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor-elect. In Virginia, Ghazala Hashmi’s victory in the lieutenant governor’s race marked another milestone — the first time a female Muslim candidate has won statewide office in the United States.
The numbers tell the story: Of the 76 Muslim candidates on the ballot this fall, 38 emerged victorious, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
For David Dulio, political science professor at Wayne State University, the rise in Muslim leaders is part of a broader trend.
“It usually starts at the lower levels, but it’s clearly becoming more mainstream — top-of-the-ticket stuff,” he said.
The trend echoes earlier chapters in American history when other ethnic and religious minority groups — from the Italians to the Irish and the Poles — reshaped American politics and power structures.
Mr. Dulio said Muslim Americans are now doing the same: injecting different perspectives into old debates, over everything from foreign policy to cultural identity, and challenging the status quo.
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