US Midterm Election Muslim Representation Statistics 2026 show a record 7 Muslims elected to Congress, including Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, plus 6 House winners, all Democrats. The previous high for Muslims serving in Congress at once was 5, and a 7th House member, Aisha Wahab of California, was still leading her race on November 4, 2026, which would lift the total to 8.
US Midterm Election Muslim Representation 2026 – Introduction
US Midterm Election Muslim Representation set a new benchmark on November 3, 2026. Michigan voters sent Abdul El-Sayed to the Senate, and he became the first Muslim in the chamber’s history. Six Muslim Democrats won House seats, and the combined total of 7 beat the old record of 5. The wins came during a night when Democrats took control of both the House and the Senate.
The results came after a hard campaign. President Trump called El-Sayed a “jihadist,” and Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed his Republican opponent two days before the vote. Candidates in other races faced similar attacks. This report covers the Senate result, every House winner, the state and local gains and the candidate counts behind them, using the latest figures available on November 4, 2026.
Interesting Fact(s): US Midterm Election Muslim Representation Statistics 2026 Key Data
Muslim Members of Congress at Once
Previous record | █████ 5
2026 elected | ███████ 7
If Wahab wins | ████████ 8
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Muslims elected to Congress | 7 (record) |
| Senate winners | 1 (El-Sayed) |
| House winners | 6 |
| Previous record serving at once | 5 |
| First Muslim elected to Congress | Keith Ellison, 2006 |
| El-Sayed’s age | 42 |
| Muslim candidates, CAIR count, 2026 | More than 160 |
| Muslim candidates, CAIR count, 2022 | 145 |
| Muslim candidates in Muslim Network TV count | At least 51 in 23 states |
| Muslim candidates winning or leading on November 4 | At least 37 |
| Avila Chevalier vote share | More than 85% |
| Party of all 7 winners | Democratic |
Source: Religion News Service, November 4, 2026; Council on American-Islamic Relations; Muslim Network TV; Dunya News.
The table shows the size of the jump. Seven Muslims won seats, two more than the old high of 5. Ellison broke the barrier in 2006, and it took 20 years for one Muslim to reach the Senate. All seven winners ran as Democrats.
The candidate counts show a deeper bench. CAIR counted more than 160 Muslims running for local, state and federal office, up from 145 in 2022. Muslim Network TV counted at least 51 candidates across 23 states, and at least 37 had won or led by November 4. Avila Chevalier won her New York seat with more than 85% of the vote.
US Midterm Election Muslim Representation Statistics 2026: Congress Totals by Chamber
Muslim Winners by Chamber (2026)
House | ██████ 6
Senate | █ 1
| Metric | 2026 Result |
|---|---|
| Total elected | 7 |
| Senate | 1 |
| House | 6 |
| Incumbents re-elected | 4 |
| First-time winners | 3 |
| Pending race | Wahab, California 14th |
| Total if Wahab wins | 8 |
Source: Religion News Service, November 4, 2026; Anadolu Agency, November 4, 2026.
Four incumbents won again: Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, André Carson and Lateefah Simon. Three people are new to Congress: El-Sayed, Adam Hamawy and Darializa Avila Chevalier. That split matters. Incumbents supply 4 of the 7 wins, but the 3 newcomers supply the record.
Wahab is the open item. She won a special election earlier this year and held an early lead in the California 14th as counting continued. The AP had not called it at 3:42 p.m. on November 4. If she wins, the Muslim caucus reaches 8. The count could change until California certifies.
First Muslim Senator 2026: Abdul El-Sayed Michigan Senate Results
Michigan Senate Vote Counted at 1:04 a.m. ET (Nov. 4)
Counted | ████████████████████████████████████████████ 67%
Uncounted | ██████████████████████ 33%
| Michigan Senate Detail | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Winner | Abdul El-Sayed (D) |
| Defeated | Mike Rogers (R) |
| Age | 42 |
| Seat vacated by | Sen. Gary Peters |
| CBS News projection | 2:30 a.m. ET, November 4 |
| Primary | Won in August |
| Late endorsement | Rep. Haley Stevens backed Rogers 2 days before |
| Spending claim | AIPAC spent $42 million against him, per El-Sayed |
Source: CBS News Election Night Live Updates, November 4, 2026; Dunya News; Religion News Service.
El-Sayed won a seat that stayed in Democratic hands after Peters retired. He is a physician, a former public health official and the son of Egyptian immigrants. At 1:04 a.m. about one-third of the vote was still out, and Rogers said he saw a path. CBS News projected El-Sayed the winner at 2:30 a.m.
The race was bitter. Trump attacked El-Sayed’s faith, and Stevens, his former primary opponent, backed Rogers late. El-Sayed said AIPAC spent $42 million against him and told supporters he beat the group twice. A friend and campaign fundraiser said Islamophobia backfired. The data supports the point: he won anyway.
Muslim House Winners 2026: District-by-District Results
Ages of the Three First-Time Muslim Winners (2026)
Avila Chevalier | █████████████████ 33
El-Sayed | █████████████████████ 42
Hamawy | ████████████████████████████ 56
| District | Winner | Opponent(s) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan 12th | Rashida Tlaib | James Hooper | Fifth term |
| Minnesota 5th | Ilhan Omar | John Nagel, DeVelle Jackson | Fifth term |
| Indiana 7th | André Carson | Patrick McAuley, James Sceniak | In Congress since 2008 |
| California 12th | Lateefah Simon | Jamie Joyce (D) | Same-party race |
| New Jersey 12th | Adam Hamawy | Gregg Mele | First Muslim from New Jersey |
| New York 13th | Darializa Avila Chevalier | Not listed | Won more than 85% |
Source: Dunya News, November 4, 2026; Religion News Service, November 4, 2026.
Tlaib and Omar both won a fifth term. Both first won in 2018. Tlaib is the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, and Omar was the first Somali-American federal lawmaker. Carson has served since 2008, which makes him the longest-serving Muslim in the House. Simon beat a fellow Democrat in a California race.
Hamawy and Avila Chevalier are new. Hamawy, 56, is a plastic surgeon and retired Army combat physician who beat Gregg Mele. Avila Chevalier, 33, beat longtime Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the June primary and then won the general election with more than 85%. She is the first Latina Muslim elected to Congress.
Muslim State and Local Election Winners 2026: Counties, Legislatures and Cities
Muslim State-Level Wins Named in Reports (2026)
Michigan | ███ 3
Ohio | ██ 2
Illinois | █ 1+
Texas | █ 1+
| State | Winner | Office | 2026 Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Letitia Plummer | Harris County judge | Top elected Muslim woman in Texas |
| Michigan | Abbas Alawieh | State Senate | Won |
| Michigan | Jalal Abdallah | State House | Won |
| Michigan | Alabas Farhat | State House | Re-elected |
| Illinois | Nabeela Syed | State Senate | Flipped a Republican seat |
| Ohio | Munira Abdullahi, Ismail Mohamed | State House | Won |
Source: Religion News Service, November 4, 2026; Muslim Network TV.
Michigan produced 3 state wins named in reports. Ohio produced 2. Syed flipped a Republican-held Illinois Senate seat. Muslim Democrats also won or kept seats in Oregon, Texas, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Georgia. Muslim Network TV also listed winners in New York, Georgia and Minnesota.
The Harris County result stands out. Plummer now leads the third-largest county in the United States as county judge, which is the county’s top executive post. Her win is a county-level milestone, and she is the highest-ranking elected Muslim woman in Texas. These are the offices that feed the next class of congressional candidates.
Muslim Candidates Running vs. Winning 2026: Candidate Count Statistics
Muslim Candidates Counted (CAIR vs. Muslim Network TV)
CAIR 2022 | █████████████████████████████ 145
CAIR 2026 | ████████████████████████████████ 160+
Muslim Network TV 2026 | ██████████ 51
Won or led (Nov. 4) | ███████ 37+
| Measure | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Candidates, CAIR 2026 | More than 160 |
| Candidates, CAIR 2022 | 145 |
| Candidates, Muslim Network TV | At least 51 |
| States with candidates | About 23 |
| Congressional candidates | 11 |
| Congressional winners | 7 |
| Won or led on November 4 | At least 37 |
Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations via Religion News Service; Muslim Network TV, November 4, 2026.
Two groups counted candidates with different methods. CAIR counted more than 160 Muslims running at every level, up 15 from 145 in 2022. Muslim Network TV identified at least 51 across about 23 states. The gap comes from scope. Do not add the two numbers together.
Congress shows the conversion rate. Muslim Network TV counted 11 Muslim candidates for Congress, and 7 won, which is about 64%. Overall, at least 37 candidates had won or led by November 4. Some races were still unresolved, so the final count may rise.
Progressive Muslim Gains 2026: Democratic Wave and Party Breakdown
Muslim Members of Congress by Party (2026)
Democratic | ███████ 7
Republican | 0
| Indicator | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Muslim winners who are Democrats | 7 of 7 |
| Democratic Senate seats flipped | 7 |
| Democratic Senate caucus | At least 54 |
| Trump approval in exit polls | 38% |
| Avila Chevalier primary result | Beat Rep. Espaillat in June |
| El-Sayed primary result | Won in August |
Source: CBS News Election Night Live Updates, November 4, 2026; Religion News Service; Dunya News.
Every Muslim winner was a Democrat, and the party took both chambers. Democrats flipped 7 Senate seats and hold at least 54. Exit polls put Trump’s approval at 38%, a midterm low. The wave helped, but the primaries mattered first. El-Sayed won his in August, and Avila Chevalier ousted an incumbent in June.
The progressive record is mixed. Hamawy ran on universal Medicare and an end to military aid to Israel. Several winners campaigned on humanitarian aid and arms oversight. Yet Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, lost the Florida Senate race to Republican Ashley Moody. A progressive primary win did not carry every state.
Muslim Congressional Firsts 2026: Historic Milestones and Years in Office
Years Since First Election to Congress (as of 2026)
Keith Ellison (2006, former member) | ████████████████████ 20
André Carson (2008) | ██████████████████ 18
Rashida Tlaib (2018) | ████████ 8
Ilhan Omar (2018) | ████████ 8
Abdul El-Sayed (2026) | 0
| Member | Milestone | Year or Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Ellison | First Muslim elected to Congress | 2006 |
| André Carson | Longest-serving Muslim in the House | Since 2008 |
| Rashida Tlaib | Only Palestinian-American member | Fifth term |
| Ilhan Omar | First Somali-American federal lawmaker | Fifth term |
| Abdul El-Sayed | First Muslim elected to the Senate | 2026 |
| Adam Hamawy | First Muslim elected from New Jersey | 2026 |
| Darializa Avila Chevalier | First Latina Muslim in Congress | 2026 |
Source: Religion News Service, November 4, 2026; Dunya News, November 4, 2026.
The timeline runs 20 years. Ellison won first in 2006, and Carson followed in 2008. Tlaib and Omar arrived in 2018 as the first Muslim women in Congress, and both just won a fifth term. The Senate took longer. El-Sayed’s win in 2026 closes a gap that the House closed two decades earlier.
The newest firsts come from the 3 new members. Hamawy is the first Muslim New Jersey has sent to Congress. Avila Chevalier is the first Latina Muslim in the body. She is 33 and converted to Islam 4 years ago. Each new profile widens a caucus that once had a single member.
Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and Voter Response 2026: Campaign Attacks and Election Results
Minutes After 11:00 p.m. ET Until CBS News Projected Each Senate Winner
Ohio (Brown) | █ 11
Kansas (Hamilton) | ██ 26
Iowa (Turek) | ███ 34
Michigan (El-Sayed)| ████████████████████ 210
| Campaign Event | 2026 Detail |
|---|---|
| Late endorsement | Haley Stevens backed Rogers 2 days before the vote |
| Outside spending claim | $42 million from AIPAC, per El-Sayed |
| Trump approval in exit polls | 38% |
| Result | El-Sayed won; CBS News projected at 2:30 a.m. ET |
| Hamawy victory speech | Closed with “Allahu Akbar” after condemning anti-Muslim rhetoric |
Source: Religion News Service, November 4, 2026; CBS News Election Night Live Updates, November 4, 2026.
Michigan was the slowest of the four Senate calls charted above. CBS News projected Ohio at 11:11 p.m., Kansas at 11:26 p.m. and Iowa at 11:34 p.m. Michigan took until 2:30 a.m. The slow count fits a race that stayed tight for hours, and El-Sayed declared victory before the projection came. His margin in the final count was not available when this report was compiled.
FAQ: US Midterm Election Muslim Representation Statistics 2026
How many Muslims were elected to Congress in 2026?
A record 7 won, according to Religion News Service. That is 6 House members and 1 senator. An 8th, Aisha Wahab, was leading in California.
Who is the first Muslim elected to the US Senate?
Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan. He beat Republican Mike Rogers, and CBS News projected the win at 2:30 a.m. ET on November 4, 2026.
How old is Abdul El-Sayed?
He is 42.
Which Muslim House members won in 2026?
Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, André Carson, Lateefah Simon, Adam Hamawy and Darializa Avila Chevalier.
Who are the new Muslim members of Congress in 2026?
Three people are new: El-Sayed, Hamawy and Avila Chevalier.
Who was the first Muslim elected to Congress?
Keith Ellison of Minnesota, in 2006. He left Congress after winning the state attorney general race in 2018.
What was the previous record for Muslims in Congress?
The old high was 5 serving at once.
Are all Muslim members of Congress Democrats?
Yes. All 7 winners in 2026 are Democrats.
Is Aisha Wahab a Muslim member of Congress?
She holds California’s 14th District seat after a special election and held an early lead for a full term. The AP had not called it at 3:42 p.m. on November 4.
Who is the first Muslim from New Jersey in Congress?
Adam Hamawy won the 12th District and is the first Muslim elected to represent New Jersey in Congress.
Who is the first Latina Muslim in Congress?
Darializa Avila Chevalier, 33, of New York’s 13th District. She converted to Islam four years ago.
How many Muslims ran for office in 2026?
CAIR counted more than 160. Muslim Network TV counted at least 51 in 23 states.
Which Muslim woman holds the top Texas office?
Letitia Plummer, the new Harris County judge, is the highest-ranking elected Muslim woman in Texas.
Did Muslim candidates flip any state seats in 2026?
Yes. Nabeela Syed flipped a Republican-held Illinois Senate seat.
What did Trump say about Abdul El-Sayed during the 2026 Senate race?
Trump labeled El-Sayed a “jihadist” and claimed, without evidence, that he sided with Muslim terrorist groups. El-Sayed won the race anyway.
Which party controls Congress after the 2026 midterms?
Democrats. CBS News projected Democratic control of the House at 10:15 p.m. ET and of the Senate shortly after 11:30 p.m. ET. Democrats hold at least 54 Senate seats.
Who endorsed Mike Rogers over Abdul El-Sayed?
Rep. Haley Stevens, El-Sayed’s former primary opponent, endorsed Rogers 2 days before Election Day.
What did Adam Hamawy campaign on in New Jersey?
Hamawy campaigned for universal Medicare, cancellation of medical and student debt, abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and an end to US military assistance to Israel.
Who did Darializa Avila Chevalier defeat in 2026?
She beat longtime Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the June Democratic primary. She then won the New York 13th District general election with more than 85%.
Which Muslim state legislators won in Michigan in 2026?
Abbas Alawieh won a state Senate seat. Jalal Abdallah won a state House race, and Alabas Farhat was re-elected to the state House.
In which states did Muslim candidates win in 2026?
Winners came from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, Oregon, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Georgia, New York and Minnesota, according to the reports reviewed.
Will the final count of Muslims in Congress change?
It can. The California 14th District race was uncalled at 3:42 p.m. on November 4, 2026. A Wahab win makes the total 8.
Which Muslim member of Congress has served the longest?
André Carson of Indiana’s 7th District. He first won in 2008 and is the longest-serving Muslim lawmaker in the House, according to Anadolu Agency, Religion News Service.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.