Just finished a night of going over political data points. Below is a quick analysis of Democratic races to watch nationwide. Spoiler alert: Muslim Americans are looking to win big as Democratic nominees across the country. Who would have thought three successive attempts to ban them from entering the country would galvanize this community to stop being pin-cushions for right-wing media, and step up to Save the Republic.
1. IL-16: Illinois might be the first in the nation to have a Pakistani-American emerge as the Democratic nominee. Neill Mohammad is running an impressive race and taking no chances. His moderate GOP opponent is no friend to democracy, and in a year where the GOP is at risk to lose the House, Democrat donors would be wise to fund indpendent expenditures here, if only to troll the GOP into having to defend another seat.
2. CA-45: Kia Hamadanchy is the candidate to watch in California's Battle in the OC. He has found a way to galvanize Iranian-Americans & Middle Eastern donors nationwide to support his campaign. Moreover, private polling shows a tightening race, in favor of the district’s native born son with the rhythmic last name, and iconic first name. Hamadanchy might be the first Iranian-American in Congress. Hopefully he'll bring some Persian sophistication to the raucous House of Representatives if he prevails.
3. TX-29: Tahir Javed might lack major endorsements as of yet, but he is not kidding around in Texas. His Twitter following is staggering: over 77,000 followers. The Pakistani-American self-made millionaire is running a serious ground campaign, and banking that years of languish in his congressional district will not go unnoticed as he campaigns as an entrepreneur with new ideas to guide America forward.
4. MI-11: By most accounts, Fayrouz Saad's charm offensive as the most likable candidate in Michigan is working. Watch this candidate closely. While her smile and positive demeanor disarm even the nastiest of trolls (I kid you not, she’s a born politician), Saad’s campaign is well-oiled and by far the most serious among the Democratic challengers. She will surprise us all, especially when the gloves come off as we approach the August primary.
5. Michigan Gubernatorial: Islamophobic efforts to derail the campaign of Abdul El-Sayed have basically failed. It looks like he will be on the ballot, and momentum is gathering behind him. Fearsome consultant Martha McKenna is playing a major role in his campaign’s communications strategy, and is proving to be an asset.
Hamza Khan is a Democratic Strategist who is a regular on Fox News, Al Jazeera, Sky News Arabia and many other national news outlets. He is the founder of The Pluralism Project, a Hybrid PAC committed to electing Americans of diverse heritages to public office. Follow The Pluralism Project @pluralismusa.