US sees 'record breaking' numbers of Muslims in US public office despite rising Islamophobia

The number of Muslims in public office in the US has reached "record breaking" levels, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said on Thursday, as it launched its 2026 Directory of Elected Muslim Officials.

The group, which is the US's largest Muslim civil rights group, said it had identified 255 Muslim elected officials across 26 states, at almost every level of government.

CAIR hailed the "record breaking" figures as a demonstration that American Muslims would not be intimidated away from taking public office, despite the current climate of Islamophobia.

“Anti-Muslim extremists are attempting to tell American Muslims that we do not belong in the halls of power, these 228 public servants are proving otherwise every single day," CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said in a statement to The New Arab.

"Muslim Americans are not standing on the sidelines. We are serving our neighbors, strengthening our communities, and helping shape the future of our nation. We will not allow hate, intimidation, or political attacks to silence our voices or diminish our rightful place in American civic life."

Earlier this month, the rights group slammed US President Donald Trump over statements which it said put a "target" on the backs of Muslim elected officials. The president had claimed that "jihadists" were being elected to public office  in the US  -- a statement which came in the aftermath of Abdul El-Sayed's Democratic primary victory in Michigan.

According to the directory, the largest number of Muslim public officials are in local government, with 98 council members accounting for 38.4% of all Muslim elected officials.

A further 56 Muslim officials are serving as state representatives or senators, making up 18% of the public officials in the directory.

Other officials include 18 Muslim judges and 11 Muslim mayors. Women were also identified as representing more than 4 in 10 Muslim elected officials in the US.

“This directory represents the growing political power and civic engagement of Muslim communities across America. Every Muslim serving on a school board, city council, state legislature, or in another public office opens the door wider for the next generation of Muslim leaders. But our work is far from finished," said CAIR Action Executive Director Basim Elkarra.

"With 24 states still without Muslim representation identified in this directory, we must continue building political power from the ground up — registering voters, organizing our communities, holding elected officials accountable and encouraging more American Muslims to run for office. Our community deserves a voice at every table where decisions about our future are made.”

On Thursday, another American Muslim made history by becoming the projected winner of a California special election for US Congress. California State Senator Aisha Wahab becomes the latest progressive Democrat to see off a challenge from a challenger backed by the  American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Wahab's opponent, Melissa Hernandez, received $5 million from the pro-Israel PAC in the final weeks of the race.