Palestinian-American Sam Rasoul announces re-election bid

posted on: Dec 6, 2016

Carmen Forman
The Roanoke Times

Del. Sam Rasoul, who is fighting to reform establishment politics, will run for re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Rasoul, D-Roanoke, will seek the Democratic nomination for the 11th House District seat, he announced Monday.

The Roanoke businessman says he is fighting to civilize politics and encouraging the Democratic Party to focus on the people they represent. Rasoul is the only Democratic delegate from the western part of the state.

“The biggest thing for me is trying to change the discourse in Virginia politics,” Rasoul said. “People are so tired of fighting the hate and fear with hate and fear.”

Rasoul, a Palestinian-American, is is the only Muslim in the General Assembly and works as an organizational change consultant.

Following the presidential election, Rasoul called for a “massive overhaul” of the Democratic party and resigned as secretary of the House Democratic Caucus to make strengthening the bonds between the party and average Americans a top priority. Ultimately, he wants to take eliminate negative campaigning and build up a stronger, positive Democratic Party.

Rasoul was first elected in a 2014 special election, beating former Roanoke sheriff and Republican Octavia Johnson.

In 2015, Rasoul ran unopposed for re-election. No candidates have emerged to oppose him this election cycle.

Much of Rasoul’s proposed legislation focuses on good government practices such as drawing fair districts and taking partisan politics out of primary elections with a top-two primary system.

“People have lost faith in how the system works so that’s really where I want to advance the message,” he said.

Before his first House of Delegates bid, Rasoul unsuccessfully ran for Roanoke mayor in 2012 and for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 2008.

The 11th District encompasses most of Roanoke.