2006 election campaign Saqib Ali

1 2006 election campaign

1.1 mcea endorsement
1.2 anti-muslim protester
1.3 primary
1.4 general election
1.5 muslim political participation

2006 election campaign

on october 1, 2005, ali announced candidacy inclusion on three-person democratic slate legislative district 39 includes montgomery village, washington grove , parts of gaithersburg, derwood, germantown , north potomac. members of maryland general assembly have four-year terms.

mcea endorsement

on january 30, 2006, candidate ali accompanied montgomery county education association (mcea) contingent annapolis lobby legislators improve state s... teacher pension system. june 2006, mcea had given ali sought-after endorsement has carried considerable weight in minds of county voters. apple ballot lists recommended candidates support public education , 11,000 educators. ballot indication of politicians support public schools , employees.

anti-muslim protester

on august 12, 2006 timothy james truett of montgomery village allegedly made call ali s office in asked if ali muslim , made derogatory remarks islam ali s campaign manager. afterward, truett drove cul-de-sac outside ali s gaithersburg home, doubles campaign office. there, sat down in lawn chair near home hand-lettered sign bearing crude denunciation of islam [that said islam sucks ]. truett wore t-shirt reading mind allah-free zone . ali went out @ man , take pictures did not speak him, explaining knew there bait me. ali later recalled felt intimidating , trying menace me , family, similar when people burned crosses in s front yard. think exact same message. ali s wife stepped outside , took pictures of truett. older man approached truett , offered him water. ali spoke older man , older man went inside. ali placed 1 of campaign yard signs next truett , took picture. truett got , left. ali followed him , got pictures of license plate. truett phoned ali s office again hung on. ali later posted pictures of truett, truett s birth date , address on campaign web site.

both ali , police agreed nothing illegal had happened, in common area , not on ali s property. police apparently notified truett later arrested if did go onto candidate s property in next year. ali told reporters 100 percent muslim , 100 percent american.... faith faith... s incidental. said candidacy such matters roads, schools , not religion. quoting directly, demonstration reminds me of need build bridges amongst people , among communities.

primary

on september 10, 2006, ali endorsed washington post 1 county political veteran ranked behind of democratic party influence on local voters. post said “political newcomer saqib ali has shown command of issues , bring new vigor district s delegation.” on september sept. 20, 2006, announced ali had won democratic primary in maryland s 39th legislative district, defeating incumbent delegate joan f. stern position on slate del s nancy j. king , charles e. barkley november general election. stern had lost outright endorsement of king , barkley not seen team-player. king noted ali breath of fresh air voters , while political veteran gene counihan said far see, followed book on how win election. saw him on campaign trail more anybody. out door-to-door; had impressive literature. wanted it. ali ascribed electoral victory connecting voters. our campaign had lot of energy. had underdog feel struck chord people , resonated. when talk real voters, not insiders, care if pay attention them. remember listened them. people appreciate new blood.

king won 28 percent of vote, barkley fetched 27 percent, ali came in 25 percent , stern took 18 percent, according unofficial results. 16,600 district 39 voters went polls.

on november 2, 2006, washington post endorsed democratic slate calling ali bright newcomer .

general election

ali, king, , barkley faced republican challengers david nichols, gary scott, , bill witham in november 2006 election. democratic slate won, averaging 22.4% on challengers, averaged 10.9% of ballets cast.

after election, ali told reporters “district 40 percent minority... , part of campaign involved introducing new immigrants political process, registering new voters , showing them how cast ballot. bringing new americans process everybody. s empowering. ali raised $120,000 campaign, family , personal funds.

in electing both ali , kumar p. barve (from 17th district), “maryland became first state send 2 south asians state legislature”. occurrence seen indication asian americans have political clout beyond traditional strongholds in california , hawaii. ali’s election seen evidence of american minority moving towards civic empowerment participating in political process, “[h]e first muslim in maryland state legislature.” election , of keith ellison (d-mn) united states congress viewed michelle boorstein of washington post “part of concerted march of muslims civic , political life” in reaction “worries civil liberties , immigration policy” began after sept. 11, 2001.

muslim political participation

in cnn’s election night 2006 coverage on november 7, 2006, candy crowley mentioned ali in discussion keith ellison (d-mn) , growth of muslim political participation in united states. mohammed babah, president of muslim community center of maryland saw ali s election important community ‘‘this huge. believe have voice now, voice not of suspicion, voice show muslim view. after 9/11, muslims under microscope. elect man shows confidence country has in majority of muslim people. reassuring.”

the washington post reported since saqib ali elected maryland house of delegates month, has been flooded calls , e-mails across country asking: how d it? calls come american muslims ali, who, longtime political watchers , muslim activists in area say, first muslim elected statewide – or district-wide – office in maryland, virginia or district.... [e]ight muslims ran office in maryland year, more in previous years, although ali won. , initial polling data , anecdotal evidence suggest more muslims in virginia registered , voted month in previous elections. ever since election ali has been busy answering requests advice [from other muslims wanting civically involved]. tell them is, know community well, work hard , don t one-issue candidate. , don t let paint muslim candidate.

delegate ali joined u.s. representative keith ellison (d-mn), u.s. rep. andré carson (d-in), state rep. ako abdul-samad (d-ia), state senator larry shaw (d-nc), , state rep. saghir saggy tahir (r-nh) elected muslim officeholders in united states of 2006.