The Mamdani Effect: Meet the Muslim and Arab Americans who also won in US local elections

Zohran Mamdani wasn't the only Muslim and ethnic minority politician to win in Tuesday night’s multiple elections in the US. A host of other candidates claimed victory on 4 November.

Ghazala Hashmi, an educator and an academic administrator from Virginia, made history on Tuesday by becoming the first-ever Muslim and Indian American to be elected to statewide office in the US, after her victory in the race for Lieutenant-Governor.

Hashmi’s political career began in 2019, when she ran for a seat in the Virginia State Senate and defeat Republican Glen Sturtevant, which saw her flip the district to Democratic control. Her victory was a first for a Muslim woman in the state’s Senate. In 2023, she was re-elected, defeating another Republican candidate, John Reid.

Hashmi, born in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, moved to the United States as an infant in 1969, and hails from an academic family. She is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and has earned a Ph.D from Emory University.

In her victory speech on Tuesday, she said: "This was possible, because of the depth and breadth of the opportunities made available in this country and in this commonwealth."

Hashmi, in a 2020 interview, said she felt compelled to enter politics after witnessing the treatment of Muslims during President Donald Trump’s first administration.

"We have many folks who are from immigrant communities. We have refugee families. We have individuals who are trying to find a foothold in this country. And this rhetoric and the policies that followed were serving to divide the communities. I felt like I needed to have a more public and visible presence and respond to these issues."

In Minneapolis, rising Somali American politician Omar Fateh may not have won in Tuesday night’s elections, but no outright majority was secured, meaning the race will have to go to a second round.

Minneapolis’ Democratic Mayor, Jacob Frey, did lead with 41.7 percent, leaving Fateh trailing by 10 percent. However, an outright majority is required to be declared as winner.

In Minnesota, the candidates with the fewest votes are removed, while second and third-choice rankings are allocated to the surviving candidates. This is repeated until one candidate has enough votes, according to The Associated Press.

Following Tuesday night’s result, Fateh said: "So tonight, this race was too close to call. And that’s okay because every vote must be counted and reallocated."

Fateh is the first Somali and Muslim to serve in the Minnesota Senate, assuming office in 2021.

Just like New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani, Fateh is a democratic socialist, with policies including higher taxes on the rich and more affordable housing. In July of the year, the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party announced their endorsement of Fateh for November’s mayoral election.

Fellow Somali American politician, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, has been seen canvassing with Fateh in the Minnesota city.

In Dearborn, Michigan, incumbent mayor Abdullah Hammoud kept his seat on Tuesday, following an overwhelming re-election which saw him win a second term.

Hammoud, born in Dearborn to Lebanese parents, finished ahead of challenger Nagi Almudhegi with a comfortable 73 percent of the vote.

In politics for almost nine years, Hammoud became Dearborn mayor in January 2022, becoming the city’s second youngest mayor ever, as well as its first Muslim and Arab American one.

Prior to his tenure as mayor, Hammoud was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2017, defeating Republican nominee Terrance Gerin. He has since concentrated on environmental issues, healthcare access and social justice.

In another Michigan city, another Arab American politician secured victory in the mayoral race. Mo Baydoun defeated Councilwoman Denise Malinowski-Maxwell to head the city of Dearborn Heights, with 68 percent of the vote.

Baydoun has served as acting mayor of Dearborn Heights since Bill Bazzi was announced by Trump as ambassador to Tunisia in October.

Boston suburb votes to divest from Israel

Elsewhere in the US, the Boston suburb of Sommerville voted to divest from Israel, with 55 percent of voters agreeing to a non-binding measure recommending city officials to divest from companies that "engage in business that sustains Israel’s apartheid, genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine".

The initiative was reportedly brought forth by the Sommerville for Palestine, a local advocacy group. The organisations, alongside other local non-profits advocating for the Palestinian cause, celebrated the achievement on social media. It remains unknown whether the suburb's mayor-elect will enact the proposal.

Sommerville became a stronghold of pro-Palestinian activism this year, after Turkish Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was detained by Department of Homeland Security officers in March this year over her pro-Palestinian views. Her arrest came a part of a wider Trump administration crackdown on student activists for expressing pro-Palestinian views.