According to VOA:
Riding solid gains for Democratic candidates in the U.S midterm elections, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are now set to make history when they become the first Muslim American congresswomen when the next U.S. legislative body convenes in January.
“Rashida represents everything that undermines those stereotypes,” says Detroit voter David White. “She doesn’t just appeal to a Muslim community. She appeals to a wide swath of individuals, and it just happens to be that she is Muslim, so I think it is important for the Muslim community, but important for other communities.. any community really… to see Rashida and her effectiveness and advocacy as an outstanding public servant as an example that your race doesn’t define you.”
It also didn’t define Somali refugee and Minnesota Congressional candidate Democrat Ilhan Omar to a diverse coalition of voters that helped her secure a victory over the Republican challenger in her Minneapolis district. “I stand here before you tonight as your congresswoman-elect, with many firsts behind my name,” she told a crowd of supporters at her mid term election victory party. “The first woman of color to represent our state in Congress. The first woman to wear a hijab to represent our state in Congress. The first refugee ever elected to Congress. And one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.”
While both were elected in districts that could be considered liberal and progressive – heavily favoring their political party – voters like Allyson Brooks, who cast her ballot in the same Detroit polling location as Tlaib, says this historic moment was a long time coming. “It’s crazy that it’s 2018 and this could possibly be the first time that this is happening. We need more Muslims in the Congress, in the Senate and in the House.”
