Muslim Americans take on key electoral contests in midterms amid foreign policy debates

WASHINGTON: Muslim Americans are seeking a greater voice in US politics in the November 3 midterm elections , with candidates contesting congressional, state legislative and local offices across the country. Their campaigns come amid growing controversy over Washington’s Middle East policy. The war in Gaza has fuelled demands for an end to US military support for Israel , while the war with Iran has raised questions about American intervention, regional stability and overseas military spending. Muslim Network TV ( MNTV ), reviewing candidate listings and cross-checking names against civic organisations’ voter guides, officeholder records and news reports, has identified at least 51 Muslim Americans running across approximately 23 states. The count includes one Senate candidate, 10 congressional candidates and dozens seeking state and local offices.

It represents a documented minimum, not a comprehensive national census. One of the most closely watched contests is Michigan’s Senate race, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. Michigan Democrat senatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks to supporters at a union hall in Jackson, Michigan, on October 29, 2026. — AFP Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi , the first Muslim woman elected to statewide office in the United States, endorsed El-Sayed in September, citing their shared commitment to affordable housing, healthcare, workers’ rights and economic opportunity. El-Sayed’s campaign has also attracted attacks centred on his faith. At a Michigan rally on October 25, President Donald Trump called him a “jihadist Muslim Brotherhood member” and suggested he should not be allowed into the Senate. El-Sayed has denied any association with the organisation, and…