Loading ...The Arab American Election Winners
BY: Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer
There were 30 Arab Americans running in local, state, and federal elections on Tuesday. A significant number of them won their seats, giving the Arab American community a victory. Arab America researched the names and positions of the Arab Americans on the ballot yesterday. So far, these are the winners of yesterday’s elections. If you have anyone to add to this list, please comment below or contact us directly at our office in Washington, DC at 202-927-4005. Arab America would be pleased to include any other Arab American election winners to this list.
1. Chris Sununu (R-NH), Governor
Of all the Arab American running for office yesterday, Governor Sununu won the highest seat with 49% of the New Hampshire vote. Sununu has followed in the footsteps of his father, former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu, in winning his title.
2. Darrell Issa (R-CA), U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Darrell Issa is one of the highest profile Republicans in the House of Representatives. He faced the toughest fight he’s had to in order to get re-elected, but ending up winning with 51% of the vote from his Southern California constituents.
3. Darin LaHood (R-IL), U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Darin LaHood won by a landslide last night, earning 72% of the vote in his district. He is a popular bi-partisan Representative representing part of Springfield, Illinois.
4. Justin Amash (R-MI), U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Justin Amash won his fourth term last night in Western Michigan’s conservative district of Grand Rapids. He won with 59% of the vote and is widely liked for his focus on maintaining the Constitution.
5. Garret Graves (R-LA), U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Garret Graves won his second term last night with 63% of the vote from his Baton Rouge constituents. He is a respected House member because of his work in the fields of energy, transportation, and disaster relief.
6. Ralph Abraham (R-LA), U.S. House of Representatives
Incumbent Ralph Abraham was re-elected to Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District seat. He is a lifetime Republican who votes with his party against government spending measures.
7. Ruben Kihuen (D-NV), U.S. House of Representatives
Ruben Kihuen went from Nevada’s state senate to the U.S. House of Representatives last night after winning 48% of his district’s vote. He is the only Democratic Arab American to win a seat in the House this election.
8. Abdullah Hammoud (D-MI), State Representative
The 26-year-old Abdullah Hammoud won nearly 62% of the vote against his Republican opponent – a WWE wrestler nicknamed “Rhyno.” Hammoud will be representing the city of Dearborn, which has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.
9. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), State Representative
Ilhan Omar, a former refugee, broke barriers yesterday when she became the first Arab American state representative in Minnesota, first Somali American elected official in the country, and the first American Muslim woman to ever be elected to Minnesota’s state legislature.
10. Mark Jun Hashem (D-HI), State Representative
Incumbent Mark Hashem won his seat in the Hawaii State Legislature on Tuesday night after running unopposed.
11. Sherrie Miday (D-OH), Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge
Sherrie Miday, an attorney, unseated her opponent last night when she earned 54% of the vote from Ohio’s largest county.
12. Fahim Abedrabbo (D), Clifton Board of Education
Fahim Abedrabbo won his first election last night for Clifton Board of Education in New Jersey. He won one of three seats by earning 14% of the vote.
13. Fadwa Hammoud, Dearborn Public School Board
Incumbent Fadwa Hammoud, an attorney, came in second place last night, earning 41% of the vote. She will join another Arab American, Hussein Berry, on the board.
14. Hussein Berry, Dearborn Public School Board
Incumbent Hussein Berry, a real estate broker, won 42% of the vote last night, earning him another term on the Dearborn Public School Board.
15. Nadia Berry, Crestwood School District Board
Nadia Berry won one of two seats on the Crestwood Board last night after winning 38% of the vote. She is the first Arab American trustee at Crestwood.
Losing in yesterday’s elections were a handful of hard-working Arab Americans, whose campaigns and dedication to the community cannot be forgotten. Among them were: Charles Boustany who was a Republican U.S. Senator from Louisiana; Susan Dabaja, who was the Dearborn City Council President; Khodr Farhat who ran for Dearborn Public School Board; Ismael Ahmed who ran for Michigan’s State Board of Education; and Michael Saba who was the Democratic State Representative to South Dakota’s 9th District.