Lateefah Simon becomes 4th Muslim to serve in US Congress

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - With more results coming in from the US presidential and legislative elections, another Muslim woman has joined the 119th Congress as a representative-elect from California, marking a first for the state.

Lateefah Simon has been elected to the House of Representatives, succeeding outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee in California’s 12th Congressional District.

Her election makes her the fourth current Muslim member of Congress and the first Muslim elected from California.

Simon joins three other American Muslim representatives: Andre Carson, who represents Indiana's 7th District; Rashida Tlaib, representing Michigan’s 12th District; and Ilhan Omar, representing Minnesota’s 3rd District.

She currently serves on the Bay Area Rapid Transit board of directors.

In a statement, the Muslim group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) celebrated her election, saying it is "a powerful reminder that American Muslims are making strides and finding their voices in the halls of Congress."

"Especially during a time when many in our community feel the weight of rising Islamophobia. Her presence, alongside Representatives Carson, Tlaib and Omar, demonstrates our community’s resilience and commitment to justice," said CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert McCaw.