List of Muslim members of the United States Congress

Last updated

This is a list of Muslim members of the United States Congress .

Contents

As of 2025, only six Muslim Americans have ever been elected to Congress, the first being Keith Ellison in 2006. [1] Five Muslims currently serve in Congress, all in the House of Representatives. All but one are members of the Democratic Party. Abraham Hamadeh, who is a member of the Republican Party, is the only exception.

Senate

No Muslim has ever served in the United States Senate. In 2022, Mehmet Oz became the Republican nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania, making him the first Muslim to be nominated by a major party for the U.S. Senate. [2] [3] Oz lost the general election to Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman.

House of Representatives

In addition to the representatives below, former representative Hansen Clarke (D) of Michigan was raised in a Muslim family but converted to Catholicism, and current representative Yassamin Ansari (D) of Arizona was raised in a Muslim family but identifies as an agnostic. [4]

RepresentativePartyDistrictTermNotes
StartEndLength of
service
Keith Ellison portrait.jpg Keith Ellison Democratic MN-05 January 3, 2007January 3, 201912 years, 0 daysFirst Muslim in Congress. Converted to Islam in 1982. Retired to run successfully for Minnesota Attorney General. [1]
Andre Carson 2009.jpg André Carson Democratic IN-07 March 11, 2008Incumbent16 years, 335 daysRaised Baptist, converted to Islam as a teenager. [5]
Ilhan Omar, official portrait, 116th Congress (cropped) A.jpg Ilhan Omar Democratic MN-05 January 3, 2019Incumbent6 years, 37 daysFirst of two Muslim women in Congress. First Muslim to succeed another Muslim. Born to a Muslim family in Somalia and immigrated as a refugee to the United States in 1995. [6]
Rashida Tlaib, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg Rashida Tlaib Democratic MI-13 January 3, 2019Incumbent6 years, 37 daysFirst of two Muslim women in Congress. Born to a Muslim family of Palestinian immigrants. [7]
Abraham Hamadeh 119th congress.jpg Abraham Hamadeh Republican AZ-08 January 3, 2025Incumbent37 daysFirst Muslim in Congress who is a member of the Republican Party. Identifies as non-Denominational. [8]
Simon Lateefah 119th Congress.jpg Lateefah Simon Democratic CA-12 January 3, 2025Incumbent37 days [9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Lohn, Martiga (September 14, 2006). "Islamic Convert Wins House Nomination". Washington Post . Associated Press . Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ Hammond, Joseph (December 2, 2021). "Celebrity surgeon Dr. Oz seeks to be first Muslim elected to the US Senate". Religion News.
  3. ↑ Gabriel, Trip (June 3, 2022). "David McCormick Concedes to Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania GOP Senate Primary". The New York Times.
  4. ↑ James, Frank (August 4, 2010). "Rep. Kilpatrick Vanquisher, Hansen Clarke, Has Some Story". NPR . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ Garsd, Jasmine (January 13, 2013). "Rep. André Carson To Become First Muslim On House Committee On Intelligence". NPR.
  6. ↑ Golden, Erin (November 7, 2018). "Ilhan Omar makes history, becoming first Somali-American elected to U.S. House". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019.
  7. ↑ Herndon, Astead W. (August 8, 2018). "Rashida Tlaib, With Primary Win, Is Poised to Become First Muslim Woman in Congress". The New York Times . Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  8. ↑ Kavaler, Tara (June 5, 2024). "A Nasty House Primary Gets Even Nastier Over Religion". NOTUS. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  9. ↑ mushfiqahmad (November 7, 2024). "Muslims now have a fourth Congressperson elected". Muslim Network TV. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
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