SMFNews: Ruwa Romman Becomes First Palestinian American in Georgia Senate
Header photo: The Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Photo: DXR (CC BY-SA 4.0); adapted by SMF.
ATLANTA — State Rep. Ruwa Romman has won election to the Georgia State Senate and will be the first Palestinian American to serve in the chamber, AccessNorthGA reported. In 2022, she became the first Muslim woman and the first Palestinian American elected to the Georgia legislature.
Romman won Senate District 7 on Nov. 3 with 45,729 votes (66.00%) to 23,556 (34.00%) for real estate broker Aizaz Shahbaz Shaikh, according to unofficial results from the Georgia Secretary of State, last updated Nov. 10. The results remain unofficial until they are certified. The district covers the Lawrenceville to Peachtree Corners portion of Gwinnett County.
From the House to the Senate
Romman earned her spot on the November ballot by winning a primary runoff against a better-funded opponent, civil rights attorney Rahul Garabadu, AccessNorthGA reported. Earlier in the year she had run for governor before withdrawing in February, the Georgia Asian Times reported.
Advance voting provided much of her margin on Election Day: Romman won those ballots 31,589 to 14,087, according to the Georgia Asian Times.
‘A representative of the people’
In an interview with AccessNorthGA the day after the election, Romman said voters had rejected anti-Muslim rhetoric during the campaign. “The Islamophobia, the anti-Muslim bigotry, the targeting of minorities is not helping keep food on the table. It’s not helping lower utility bills. It’s not helping raise wages,” she said.
Romman told AccessNorthGA that affordability is her biggest focus, and that she wants the legislature to spend its 40-day session on health care, housing, utilities, wages and help for small businesses.
She said she hopes her win reminds Americans that public office is open to everyone.
Romman’s win is part of a wider set of victories by Muslim Americans in state and local races this year. See SMF News’ roundup of Muslim candidates who won state and local offices and our coverage of Shia Muslim lawmaker Akbar Ali’s reelection to the Georgia House. SMF News does not endorse any party or candidate.
Sources
AccessNorthGA (Nov. 3, 2026, updated Nov. 4); Georgia Secretary of State, unofficial results, State Senate District 7 (last updated Nov. 10, 2026); Georgia Asian Times (Nov. 4, 2026); SMF News, Nov. 6 state and local results roundup.
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