Elections

Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib Become First Muslim Women Elected to Congress

HISTORIC FIRST

The two women handily won their districts.

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Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

Democrats Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib on Tuesday became the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress. Omar won the U.S. House race in Minnesota's 5th congressional district and Tlaib won Michigan’s 13th district. The Associated Press reported that Omar defeated Republican candidate Jennifer Zielinski by several dozen percentage points, while Tlaib defeated her Working Class Party and Green Party opponents by double-digits. Omar, a Somali-American, currently serves in the Minnesota state legislature. Tlaib is of Palestinian descent and previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives.