Texas’ first elected Muslim urges community to vote for Harris

The first Muslim elected to the Texas legislature is insisting that a vote for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein would be a “misstep” that could inadvertently play into the hands of Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. 

Congressman Salman Bhojani says American Muslims can only secure a future under the leadership of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. 

In an op-ed piece published in the online publication American Muslim Today on Thursday, he and co-author Ali Arwani emphasized American Muslims’ vote has implications not only for the Muslim community but also for the course of global events. 

Bhojani said he unequivocally condemned both Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s response to it, which has killed over 43,000 Palestnians, mostly women and children. 

He noted that many American Muslims are frustrated by the U.S.’ unconditional support for Israel in its war on Gaza, leading some to consider third-party candidates — or even Trump. 

However, Bhojani said “in this climate, we must choose a practical option for representation and accountability.”

He urged Muslims to see the Harris-Walz ticket as that path forward.

Bhojani said if Trump wins, “that responsibility lies with the Democratic Party’s inability to mobilize us.”