97 Muslim politicians win in U.S. midterms, a new record

The 2026 U.S. midterm elections set a record for wins by Muslim politicians. The Council on American-Islamic Relations and CAIR Action reported that at least 97 Muslim candidates have secured victories at various levels of office, from federal and state posts to local government. That is up about 18 percent from the 2022 midterms, which recorded 82 wins. Among the most notable results, Abdul El Sayed won a Senate seat in Michigan and became the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. CNN Indonesia also recorded six Muslim candidates taking seats in the U.S. House, including Adam Hamawy of New Jersey and Darializa Avila Chevalier of New York, while Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar retained their seats. According to CAIR, the winners are spread across 21 states and the total could still rise as some counts have not been completed.