CAIR, Jetpac, MPower Change Release Preliminary Report on Muslim Candidates

CAIR, Jetpac, MPower Change Release Preliminary Report on Muslim Candidates Who Ran for Public Office in 2020, Comprehensive Report to Follow 
170 candidates were on 2020 ballots across 28 states and Washington D.C., highest number since the 3 organizations started mapping electoral progress of those who identify as Muslim

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, Jetpac, a representation-driven organization that trains American Muslims who want to run for office, and MPower Change, the largest Muslim-led social and racial justice organization in the United States, today released a preliminary report of all Muslim-identifying candidates who ran for public office in 2020.

SNAPSHOT: 170 candidates were on 2020 ballots across 28 states and Washington D.C., which is the highest number since the three organizations started mapping the electoral progress of politicians who identify as Muslim.

SEE: American Muslims Breaking Barriers in Politics 2020

“This report is a testament to the future of American Muslims in politics. Candidates who ran for political office worked together with a diverse body of coalitions to instill political change in their communities and pursue justice for all,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “Our fight for a more inclusive America does not end here. We will continue to inspire more American Muslims to run for political office and ensure our voices are heard at all levels of government.”

“The number of Muslim Americans running for office – from local school boards to Congress is indicative of how our community is committed to building political power,” said Linda Sarsour, executive director of MPower Change. “In releasing this report, we hope it educates and inspires our community to step up to shape policies through continued civic engagement. Running for office is one of many ways we can continue to build political power that reflects our values. ”

“This report shows the rapid growth of American Muslim political power across the country. When we run for office and organize in our communities, we simultaneously shatter stereotypes and combat violent Islamophobia,” said Mohammed Missouri, executive director of Jetpac. “I’m grateful to every person and group who is dedicated to increasing our civic footprint.”

Sixty-two candidates were successfully elected to office. In comparison, 49 Muslim candidates were elected to public office in 2019, and 57 in 2018 (the previous high mark in our record).

Below is a preliminary summary of Muslim electoral results from 2020. An updated comprehensive report will be issued in upcoming weeks:

* 22 ran in California, 19 in Michigan, 27 in Minnesota, and 22 in New Jersey.
* A total of 22 Muslims ran for Congress in 14 states. 5 made it to the general election with 3 winning re-elections. Incumbents Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Andre Carson were all re-elected by their constituents to serve their districts. Mike Siegel lost a close race to represent the 10th Congressional District in Texas.
* 13 Muslims in total won municipal seats.
* 48 ran for state legislature seats in 22 states with 22 winning.
* 16 ran for county seats in 10 states; 6 won.
* 35 ran for school committee or board positions in 5 states with 12 winning.
* 6 ran for judiciary positions with 4 winning.

In the following weeks, Jetpac, CAIR and MPower Change will issue a comprehensive final report that will include a final list of all 2020 local, primary, and general election candidates with final results once all results have been certified. 170 candidates who publicly identify as Muslim ran in all of 2020, which is 36 more than the previous high of 134 candidates running in 2018.

Jetpac is a representation-driven civic engagement organization. Its mission is to make our government more representative of the American people.

MPower Change is the largest Muslim-led social and racial justice organization in the United States.

CAIR‘s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.