Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 17 July 2018

Muslim candidates run in record numbers but face backlash

By PHILIP MARCELO and to face unfounded claims at least in the post-9/11 era. El-Sayed, who could be- to succeed Democratic
JEFF KAROUB from a GOP rival that he But recent primaries have come the nation's first Mus- Rep. John Conyers, who
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — has ties to the controver- whittled the field down to lim governor. resigned last year amid al-
A liberal woman of color sial Muslim Brotherhood, around 50, a number that In Minnesota, the decision legations of sexual miscon-
with zero name recogni- duct. Former Obama ad-
tion and little funding takes ministration official Fayrouz
down a powerful, long Saad is also running as a
serving congressman from Democrat in the wide open
her own political party. race to succeed Republi-
When Tahirah Amatul- can Rep. David Trott, who
Wadud heard about Al- isn't seeking re-election.
exandria Ocasio-Cortez's Either could become the
stunning upset over U.S. first Muslim woman elect-
Rep. Joe Crowley in New ed to Congress, which has
York's Democratic primary only ever had two Muslim
last month, the first-time members: outgoing Ellison
candidate saw paral- and Rep. Andre Carson, an
lels with her own longshot Indiana Democrat seeking
campaign for Congress in re-election.
western Massachusetts. Saad, who served most
The 44-year-old Muslim, Af- recently as director of De-
rican-American civil rights troit's Office of Immigrant
lawyer, who is taking on a Affairs, recognizes the im-
30-year congressman and portance of representing
ranking Democrat on the her community in an era of
influential House Ways and rising Islamophobia.
Means Committee, said In this Monday, June 18, 2018, photo, attorney Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, left, who is challenging The 35-year-old broke from
incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., greets residents of an apartment complex while
she wasn't alone, as en- campaigning in Springfield, Mass. the conservative Repub-
couragement, volunteers Associated Press lican politics of her Leba-
and donations started nese immigrant parents
pouring in. following the 9/11 attacks
"We could barely stay on even though Republican still far exceeds the dozen by Keith Ellison, the nation's because she felt Arabs and
top of the residual love," and Democratic politicians or so that ran in 2016, said first Muslim congressman, Muslims were unfairly tar-
said Amatul-Wadud, U.S. alike have denounced the Shaun Kennedy, co-found- to run for state attorney geted.
Rep. Richard Neal's lone accusations as "conspiracy er of Jetpac, a Massachu- general has set off a politi- "I felt the way to push back
challenger in the state's theories." setts nonprofit that helps cal frenzy for his congressio- against that was to be at
Sept. 4 Democratic pri- In Rochester, Minnesota, train Muslim-American can- nal seat that includes two the table," said Saad, add-
mary. "It sent a message to mayoral candidate Regina didates. Muslim candidates, both ing that her parents' po-
all of our volunteers, voters Mustafa has notified au- Among the candidates to Democrats: Ilhan Omar, litical leanings have also
and supporters that win- thorities of at least two in- fall short were California the country's first Somali- since moved to the left.
ning is very possible." stances where anti-Muslim physician Asif Mahmood, American state lawmaker, "We have to step up and
From Congress to state threats were posted on her who placed third in last and Jamal Abdulahi, a So- be voices for our communi-
legislatures and school social media accounts. month's primary for state mali-American activist. ties and not wait for others
boards, Muslim Americans And in Arizona, U.S. Sen- insurance commissioner, But historic wins in those to speak on behalf of us."
spurred to action by the ate candidate Deedra Ab- despite raising more than and other races are far But not all Muslim candi-
anti-Muslim policies and boud received a torrent $1 million. And in Texas, from assured, cautions dates feel that way.
rhetoric of President Don- of Islamophobic attacks wealthy businessman Ta- Geoffrey Skelley, an associ- In San Diego, California,
ald Trump and his support- on Facebook last July that hir Javed finished a distant ate editor at Sabato's Crys- 37-year-old Republican
ers are running for elected prompted outgoing U.S. second in his Democratic tal Ball, a nonpartisan politi- congressional candidate
offices in numbers not seen Sen. Jeff Flake, the Repub- primary for Congress, de- cal analysis website run by Omar Qudrat declined to
since before the terrorist at- lican lawmaker Abboud is spite an endorsement from the University of Virginia's comment on how Islamo-
tacks of Sept. 11, 2001, say hoping to replace, to come Senate Minority Leader Center for Politics. phobia has impacted his
Muslim groups and political to her defense on Twitter. Chuck Schumer of New Omar's chances of emerg- campaign, including in-
observers. "I'm a strong believer that York. ing from a field of five Dem- stances when his faith have
Many, like Amatul-Wadud, we have to face this rheto- Nine candidates for Con- ocratic candidates in Min- been called into question
hope to ride the surge of ric," said Abboud, who has gress are still in the running, nesota's Aug. 14 primary by members of his own po-
progressive activism within also had right-wing militant according to Jetpac's was bolstered by a recent litical party.
the Democratic Party that groups the Fraternal Order tally. At least 18 others are endorsement from the Instead, the political new-
delivered Ocasio-Cortez's of Alt-Knights and the Proud campaigning for state leg- state Democratic Party, but comer, who is one of at
unlikely win and could help Boys stage armed protests islature and 10 more seek El-Sayed is an underdog in least three Muslim Repub-
propel the Democrats back her campaign events. "We major statewide and local his gubernatorial race, he licans running nationwide
to power in November. can't ignore it or pretend offices, such as governor, said. this year, provided a state-
Still, the path to victory can like it's a fringe element mayor and city council. Other Muslim-American ment touting his main cam-
be tougher for a Muslim anymore. We have to let Even more are running for candidates might fare bet- paign issues as faces Dem-
American. Some promising the ugly face show so that more modest offices like ter in Michigan, which has ocratic U.S. Rep. Scott Pe-
campaigns already have we can decide if that is us." local planning board and one of the nation's largest ters in November: address-
fizzled out while many more There were as many as 90 school committee. Arab-American popula- ing San Diego's high num-
face strong anti-Muslim Muslim-Americans running The next critical stretch of tions, Skelley added. ber of homeless military
backlash. for national or statewide of- primaries is in August. There, former state Rep. veterans, improving public
In Michigan, Democrat fices this election cycle, a In Michigan, at least seven Rashida Tlaib has raised education and expanding
candidate for governor number that Muslim groups Muslim Americans are on more money than her Dem- economic opportunities for
Abdul El-Sayed continues say was unprecedented, the Aug. 7 ballot, including ocratic rivals in the race city residents.q