Ohio State Rep. Ismail Mohamed delivered his victory speech in Somalia on Tuesday evening, following his victory in the Democratic primary for the state’s 3rd House District.
Mohamed, an immigrant from Somalia, won the primary by a landslide, defeating both Abdirizak Diini – a fellow Somali immigrant – and Julia Trabold, a political activist from the area.
Mohamed, 31, was the district’s incumbent representative. He won the elections for the first time in 2022, becoming the state’s first Somali lawmaker, joining Munira Abdullahi, who represents the state’s 9th district.
Now a Midwestern attorney, Mohamed first came to the United States as a refugee in 2005. After fleeing his home country, he spent a stint in Kenya before landing on American shores and graduating from high school in Ohio.
His father became a citizen after working as an Arabic translator for the U.S. Army during the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Soon after, he sponsored Mohamed and his family’s visas, allowing them to settle in Ohio.
Ohio State Representative Ismail Mohamed won his Democratic primary in a landslide on Tuesday night
Like other Somali representatives, Mohamed focused much of his campaign on representing the significant Somali population in his area.
Columbus, Ohio is home to more than 45,000 Somalis – the largest population in the country outside of the Minnesota district represented by Ilhan Omar.
His victory speech on primary night was not the first time Mohamed had directly appealed to his constituency in Somalia.
Before the elections, the representative released a campaign video on Somalia’s state television channel.
In the ad, he discusses his past achievements, including getting a street in Ohio named after Sayyid Mohamed Abdulla Hassan, the man considered the father of Somali nationalism.
He also spoke about the growing number of Somali representatives in the US government. He called the group a “close-knit organization” that even communicates via group chat.
“Our goal as a united front is to lobby for Somalia,” he said, also referring to Ilhan Omar as the representative of Somalis at the state level, pushing for policies that prioritize the interests of their homeland.
Beyond his goals regarding Somalia, Mohamed’s platform aligns with key tenets of the modern progressive agenda.
He said his top priorities are working toward equity in housing and education.
“I want to use my voice to fight for fair policies, all in the pursuit of a better future for every resident in the district and the state,” he told the Columbus Dispatch.
The incumbent representative (second from top right) represents a large Somali population living in the Columbus, Ohio area
Mohamed is appealing to his Somali constituency by campaigning in Somalia, including by running an advertisement on Somali state television
Mohamed with Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff
Ismail Mohamed (left) delivers his victory speech in Somalia to an receptive crowd on Tuesday evening
After his win, Mohamed also posted a lengthy thank you note to his Facebook pagethis time in English.
“I would like to take a moment to reflect on the recent elections as they presented unique challenges, including a spirited challenge from my own Somali community. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from this experience. It has opened my eyes to a broader range of concerns and perspectives within our district.
“I understand the importance of recognizing and addressing topics that may be sensitive to different communities within our district. As your representative, I must serve and represent every voter, regardless of background or belief.
“Going forward, I will continue to lead with integrity, transparency and a sincere commitment to the values and principles of the Democratic Party,” he wrote in part
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, the country’s most prominent Somali lawmaker, found herself in hot water earlier this year after she gave a speech in Somali in which she appeared to say she would put Somali interests above all else.
Several right-wing lawmakers, including fellow Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, called for her resignation from Congress and removal from the country.
In a leaked video of Omar’s January 27 speech, Omar tells a room of fellow Somalis:
“Sleep easy knowing that I am here to protect Somalia’s interests from the American system,” a translated version of the video said.
“The US government will only do what Somalis in the US tell them to do. They will do what we want and nothing else.”
“They must follow our orders and this is how we will safeguard Somalia’s interests. We Somalis must have confidence in ourselves that we are in charge in the US.”
“Together we will protect Somalia’s interests,” she said.