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From the first Muslim U.S. senator to a new generation of lawmakers in statehouses and city halls, the 2026 midterms marked a turning point in Muslim American civic life.
IslamiCity News | November 4, 2026
Shortly before dawn on Wednesday, the Associated Press called Michigan's U.S. Senate race for Abdul El-Sayed. With that call, a barrier that had stood for more than two centuries fell. For the first time, a Muslim American has been elected to the United States Senate.
"You chose hate, and Michigan chose hope," El-Sayed told supporters in Detroit.
His victory crowned a historic night. Two Muslim newcomers won seats in the U.S. House, and four Muslim incumbents were reelected. Rep. Aisha Wahab, already serving after an August special election, was leading her race for a full term. Across the country, Muslim Americans also won seats in state legislatures, courts, city councils, and school boards.
The message of November 3 is clear. Muslim Americans are not only voting and organizing; they are being entrusted by their neighbors to lead.
The son of Egyptian immigrants, El-Sayed was born and raised in Michigan. He served as health director for the City of Detroit and Wayne County, and his campaign centered on healthcare, affordability, and economic opportunity.
The road was not easy. He narrowly won an August primary over Rep. Haley Stevens, who days before the general election endorsed his Republican opponent. He also faced late-campaign attacks targeting his Muslim faith. Michigan voters elected him all the same.
Muslims have served in the U.S. House since Keith Ellison's election in 2006. Until this week, none had reached the Senate.
Adam Hamawy won New Jersey's 12th Congressional District, according to projections by the AP and the New Jersey Globe, succeeding retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman. Born in Cairo, he came to the United States as an infant and grew up in Old Bridge, New Jersey. A former U.S. Army combat surgeon who has treated the wounded in Gaza, he becomes New Jersey's first Muslim member of Congress.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old Afro-Dominican Muslim organizer, won New York's 13th Congressional District. Her path ran through a June primary upset of five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat.
Aisha Wahab, the daughter of Afghan refugees, grew up in foster care before being adopted by an Afghan American family in Fremont, California. In August she won a special election in California's 14th District, becoming the first Afghan American elected to Congress. "From foster care to Congress, this journey shows the possibility of the American Dream," she said after that win. Her November race for a full two-year term had not been called as of November 4.
Four established Muslim members of Congress also won reelection:
In New York, Aber Kawas won the 12th State Senate District in Queens. She becomes the first Palestinian American and first Muslim woman elected to the New York State Legislature, and the first to wear a hijab there.
In Georgia, State Rep. Ruwa Romman, the first Muslim woman and first Palestinian American elected to the Georgia General Assembly, won the 7th State Senate District after setting aside a bid for governor. In Illinois, Nabeela Syed moved from the state House to the State Senate. In Colorado, Iman Jodeh won the 29th State Senate District.
In Maryland, Amar Mukunda won a State Senate seat after unseating a longtime incumbent in the June primary. Delegates Sean Stinnett, Caylin Young, and Sarah Wolek, who together founded the Maryland Muslim Caucus this year, were reelected. Wolek is the first Muslim woman to serve in the Maryland General Assembly.
In North Carolina, State Sens. Haseeb Fatmi and Mujtaba Mohammed were reelected. Other reported winners included Madinah Wilson-Anton in Delaware, Munira Abdullahi and Ismail Mohamed in Ohio, Salman Bhojani and Suleman Lalani in Texas, and Tarik Khan in Pennsylvania.
These lawmakers will help decide questions of education, healthcare, housing, transportation, and civil rights for millions of Americans.
In North Carolina, Sana Siddiqui won a seat on the Raleigh City Council, and Samira Khan was elected to the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education, both historic firsts. Judicial candidates Rashad Hauter and Sam Hamadani also won.
Local offices rarely make national headlines. Yet they decide what is taught in classrooms, how neighborhoods are kept safe, and which services families can count on. For many young Muslim Americans, a school board member or city council member may be the first elected official who looks like them.
Campaigns that fall short still matter. Every candidate who knocks on doors, builds coalitions, and debates the issues helps prepare the next generation of leaders.
That growth has come despite periods of discrimination, suspicion, and political controversy surrounding Muslim identity in America. The community's answer has been patient civic work: registering voters, serving neighbors, and stepping forward to run.
For young Muslim Americans, November 3 offers a lasting lesson. The path to public service runs from the school board to the city council, from the statehouse to the U.S. Senate, and it is open to them.
The election is over. The work of service begins now.
The story of Muslim Americans in 2026 is about more than victories. It is about belonging, responsibility, and an expanding role in shaping America's shared future.
Editor's note: This article reflects election reporting available on November 4, 2026. Race calls are based on projections by the Associated Press and other news organizations, including CBS News, Decision Desk HQ, and the New Jersey Globe. The nationwide candidate tally is preliminary. Some races remain uncalled, and projected results are subject to official certification.
IslamiCity provides independent, nonpartisan coverage of elections and civic participation. This article reports election results and historical milestones and does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate or political party.
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