Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar have won re-election and continued their political careers after becoming the first two Muslim women to serve in the US Congress.
Democratic Party’s Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar – the first two Muslim women to serve in the United States Congress – have won re-election to the US House of Representatives.
Tlaib, who is also the first woman of Palestinian descent in the US Congress, was re-elected on Tuesday to a fourth term as Michigan’s representative with the support of the large Arab-American community in Dearborn.
Omar, a former refugee and Somali American, took back her seat for a third term in Minnesota, where she represents the strongly Democratic 5th District, which includes Minneapolis and several suburbs.
A prominent critic of US military support to Israel in the war on Gaza, Tlaib ran unopposed in her primary election and defeated Republican James Hooper to represent the solidly Democratic district in Dearborn and Detroit.
Congratulations @RashidaTlaib On his re-election!
He has fought bravely for Palestinian liberation and advocated for the interests of working-class people in Detroit.
We are honored to stand with Congresswoman Tlaib in this fight. pic.twitter.com/lU0befG7uh
– Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) 6 November 2024
Omar is also a sharp critic of Israel’s war on Gaza.
In a post on social media, Omar thanked his supporters for their hard work in his election campaign.
“Our hard work was worth it. We knocked on 117,716 doors. We made 108,226 calls. And we sent 147,323 texts. This is a victory for all of us who believe that a better future is possible. I can’t wait to make you all proud over the next two years,” she said.
Thanks, CD5. Our hard work was worthwhile. We knocked on 117,716 doors. We made 108,226 calls. And we sent 147,323 texts. This is a victory for all of us who believe that a better future is possible. I can’t wait to make you all proud over the next two years. pic.twitter.com/FMDUNo2Jb8
– Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) 6 November 2024
Both Tlaib and Omar are members of an informal group of lawmakers known as “The Squad”, made up of progressive members of Congress, including Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.
Other “Squad” members Jamal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri both lost their party primaries against opponents who had garnered substantial support from the pro-Israel fundraising group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The group has invested more than $100 million in US political races this year to silence pro-Palestinian voices in Congress.
