Nida Allam made headlines in March 2020 when she became the first Muslim woman to win elected office in North Carolina. Now, the 27-year-old Democrat and member of the Durham County Board of Commissioners has set her eyes on Washington, D.C., announcing Monday that she will run for Congress. “I hope voters see that I’m someone who’s going to hit the ground running and get to work in Congress. The issues that we’re facing right now in America need urgent response,” said Allam. “We need someone who’s going to start getting the work done right away and fighting for all North Carolinians.” Allam is running for the seat that Rep. David Price, a Democrat who is retiring at the end of his term in 2022, has held almost continually since 1987. The 4th Congressional District includes Durham, Orange and surrounding counties and has long voted for Democrats; a controversial redistricting map released last week would reshape it into the 6th District. If her next bid is successful, Allam would join Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) as the third Muslim woman in Congress, and just the fifth Muslim overall when including Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.) and former Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.). Like her predecessors, Allam has faced Islamophobia during her rise in politics. But she hopes to usher in a more progressive agenda in her district by fighting against climate change and advocating for reproductive rights and a more inclusive Congress. CONTINUE READING