Aber Kawas becomes first Palestinian to win New York Senate seat

Aber Kawas has won the New York State Senate District 12 seat, becoming the first Palestinian American elected to the New York State Legislature.

Her victory also makes her the first hijab-wearing woman elected to the state legislature. She secured 75 per cent of the vote, with 90 per cent of ballots counted when The New York Times called the race on Tuesday, November 3.

Taking to X after her victory, Kawas wrote: ‘We made history’.”

We made history. 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/r9dnacASP5

— Aber Kawas (@AberKawas) November 4, 2026

Her win came in the 2026 US midterm elections, following her success in the Democratic primary in June. She campaigned under the slogan “Fund dignity, fight destruction”, focusing on affordable housing, universal healthcare, reliable public transport, immigrant rights, climate action and opposition to war funding.

A member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Kawas received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

Born and raised in Brooklyn to Palestinian parents who immigrated to the United States in the 1990s, Kawas experienced the impact of immigration enforcement during her childhood. Her father was detained by US immigration authorities and deported, an experience she has described as one of the deepest wounds of her life.

She graduated from the City College of New York in 2014 with a degree in International Studies, concentrating on Latin American Studies.

Before entering electoral politics, Kawas spent more than 15 years in community organising. Her advocacy focused on workers’ rights, immigrant communities and Palestinian rights, particularly among Arab and Muslim communities in New York. She was associated with the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Urban Justice Center.

During her campaign, she faced attacks from right-wing media outlets over her Palestinian identity and political positions. She and her supporters rejected the criticism as an attempt to undermine her candidacy.

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