Two Muslim women elected to US Congress for the first time
Democratic candidates Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib have become the first Muslim women in the US Congress after winning the midterm elections.
Omar was the first Somali-American Muslim to become a lawmaker when she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. Now, she is one of the first two Muslim women elected to the US Congress.
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| Ms. Ilhan Omar (right) and Ms. Rashida Tlaib (left). Photo: AP |
After winning the Democratic primary last August, Ms. Omar replaced Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison, who also holds the special “title” of being the first Muslim elected to the US Congress.
In this midterm election, Ms. Omar won against Republican candidate Jennifer Zielinski.
In addition to being one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, Omar is also the first Somali-American to hold the position.
Omar came to the United States as a refugee at age 12. She told TIME that she became interested in politics and was inspired by her grandfather, who believed in democratic government.
After her 2016 victory, Omar said her political career was about more than winning or losing and was about “changing the conversation about immigrants and women of color who want to run for office.”
Meanwhile, Detroit Democratic candidate Rashida Tlaib is the daughter of Palestinian illegal immigrants. Like Omar, Tlaib has touted progressive policies, including universal health care and immigration reform.
Ms. Omar and Ms. Tlaib were elected to Congress in a midterm election that saw a record number of female candidates and many outstanding new faces such as Stacey Abrams, who aspires to become the first black Governor in the US, or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to Congress at the age of 29./.