Richardson City Council Elected First Muslim, Amir Omar

RICHARDSON, TX–In one of the most eye-catching elections in Richardson history, Amir Omar claimed victory in last Saturday’s City Council race to become the first Muslim elected to city office in North Texas.

Located just ten miles outside downtown Dallas, the City of Richardson is part of the telecom corridor of Texas. The City was ranked as the 18th best place to live in the United States in the August 2008 issue of Money magazine.

A first generation American of Iranian and Palestinian descent, Omar describes himself as, “living proof that the American dream is alive and well.” He grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and attended Texas A&M University where he majored in Industrial Distribution. Omar currently serves as a Major Accounts Manager for Verizon Communications.

Final results showed Omar defeating his opponent, incumbent Dennis Stewart, by a margin of 51.54% to 48.46%. Stewart was considered the favorite in the City Council – Place 7 race.

“One day at a time our grass roots support grew. One door at a time we walked neighborhoods and shared our ideas,” said Omar. “One dollar at a time people gave what they could to this campaign. One sign at a time our support was noticed. One forum at a time we spoke of the issues with careful consideration and proper foresight.”

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