As the Nov. 3 elections approach, dozens of Arab and Muslim candidates are competing for seats in Congress and state legislatures, as political allegiances shift due to economic concerns, the war in Gaza, and rising anti-Muslim rhetoric in the U.S.
Abdul El-Sayed, an American physician of Egyptian descent, could become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate if he defeats his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers, in Michigan. The race is among those that could affect the balance of power in Congress.
El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate, leads Rogers by 49.1 percent to 45.6 percent, according to the latest polling average published by RealClearPolling, based on surveys conducted through Oct. 29.
The Michigan contest is part of a broader showing by Muslim candidates, including Arab Americans, in Tuesday’s elections, testing their political presence and ability to win seats in federal, state and local legislative bodies.
Muslim Network TV has identified at least 51 Muslim candidates across roughly 23 states, including 11 running for Congress: one Senate candidate and 10 House candidates. The remaining candidates are seeking seats in state legislatures and local and judicial offices.
The participation reflects the growing political presence of a community whose population in the United States is estimated at approximately 5.5 million people, up from 2.4 million in 2007, according to the Pew Research Center.
Muslims and Arab Americans, however, do not constitute a single voting bloc, as their political affiliations and priorities vary.
A Historic Race in Michigan
El-Sayed, who belongs to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, is campaigning on an agenda focused on the cost of living, health care and affordable housing. Rogers, a former member of the House of Representatives, has emphasized manufacturing and border security.
But the contest has also turned into a dispute over religion and identity, with Rogers and his allies accusing El-Sayed of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
El-Sayed has denied the allegations, saying he has no relationship with the group.
Rogers had claimed that his opponent refused to disavow the organization. But PolitiFact found the claim to be false, citing a video recording in which El-Sayed answered yes when asked whether he disavowed the group.
The confrontation is unfolding in a state home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the country and one that was divided during the 2024 presidential election over former President Biden’s administration’s perceived favoritism toward Israel in its war in Gaza.
New Faces Join Incumbents on the Trail
In the House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, an American of Palestinian descent, is seeking another term representing Michigan, having emerged as one of the most prominent critics of U.S. policy toward Israel.
In Minnesota, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia, is running to retain her seat amid a federal investigation into her immigration records and acquisition of U.S. citizenship. Omar denies any wrongdoing and describes the investigation as politically motivated.
In New Jersey, physician Adam Hamawy, a Muslim American of Egyptian descent, is seeking to win the seat in the state’s 12th Congressional District. If successful, he would become the first Muslim to represent New Jersey in the House.
Hamawy’s background combines military service with medical work in conflict zones. He helped treat American soldiers during the Iraq War, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost parts of both legs after her helicopter was shot down in 2004. He also volunteered to provide medical care in Gaza in 2024. Hamawy is facing Republican Gregg Mele in the race.
Not all of the Arab and Muslim Americans running are Democrats. In Arizona, physician Zuhdi Jasser, an American of Syrian descent, is running as a Republican against Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton in the state’s 4th Congressional District.
Jasser’s campaign focuses on lowering the cost of living, curbing federal spending and strengthening border security, according to a summary of his platform published by KJZZ, a public radio station in Phoenix.
Participation also extends to state legislatures and local offices, particularly in states such as Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and New York, where new candidates are competing for positions that could give them a direct role in shaping local policies.
Economics, Gaza Reshape Voter Priorities
The elections come as opinion polls point to shifts in the political preferences of Arab American voters following a decline in their support for Democrats in the 2024 presidential election, driven in part by the war in Gaza.
A survey conducted by the Arab American Institute from Oct. 16 to 23, which included 500 Arab American voters likely to participate in the elections, found that 59 percent intended to vote for a Democratic candidate in their congressional districts, compared with 26 percent who favored a Republican candidate. The poll had a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
But this tilt toward Democrats does not necessarily signal a return to firm party loyalties among Arab American voters. Some 31 percent of respondents said they considered themselves independents.
Economic concerns feature prominently in these voters’ calculations, with 82 percent saying rising prices had caused them financial hardship.
The war in Gaza, meanwhile, remains an important factor shaping their political views. Ninety percent said the crisis in Gaza would be important to varying degrees in determining how they vote in the 2028 presidential election, suggesting that the issue’s influence is likely to persist, although the question did not directly measure their voting intentions in the upcoming midterm elections.
Some 65 percent of respondents said they had experienced discrimination because of their ethnic background or country of origin, up from 53 percent in 2023. Meanwhile, 53 percent said the rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim rhetoric had made them more inclined to participate in politics.
The findings suggest that Arab and Muslim candidates are contesting elections in which their constituents’ concerns over the economy, foreign policy and identity intersect.
But their ability to translate this growing political presence into influence within American institutions will depend on election results, their positions within the parties and the alliances they are able to build after the vote.
