Woman to become first Somali Muslim in US Congress

Minnesota State Representative and Somali-born Muslim Ilhan Omar [Facebook]

Minnesota State Representative and Somali-born Muslim Ilhan Omar has won the Democratic Party’s primary election for the state’s 5th District to become the second Arab Muslim candidate to join the US Congress in November.

Omar has no Republican challenger in Minnesota and has a big chance of winning in November, especially as she beat five Democrats in the primaries, winning 48 per cent of the vote.

 

The 35-year-old came to the US as a refugee with her family when she was only two years old.

Earlier this month, Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib won the Democratic Party’s primary election for Michigan’s 13th District. With no Republican politician running for the seat, Rashida could become the first Muslim woman to be elected to Congress.

 

“I can’t wait to walk onto the floor of United States Congress hand in hand with you. So incredibly proud of you,” Rashida told Omar on Twitter.