TYSONS, VA - Tonight, Saddam Salim was elected as the Democratic Senator for Virginia Senate District 37, which includes Fairfax, Vienna, Oakton, Falls Church, Tysons and Pimmit Hill.
Saddam will be the first Bangladeshi-American State Senator in Virginia's history.
Saddam's personal story illustrates why the issues we care about as Democrats matter so much right now. He is a first generation immigrant, born in Noakhali, Bangladesh. After both a drought and a flood, his family came to this country seeking a better life, only to become homeless in DC after their home was sold to build luxury condos.
Friends took them in in Falls Church, and they were able to survive thanks to Fairfax County's Affordable Housing program and the public school system, where Saddam and his siblings learned English. Those very policies that Democrats support - affordable housing, accessible healthcare and strong public education - are the reason his family could work hard and succeed.
And these policies we value as Democrats are the reason Saddam is so passionate about giving back to the community that first invested in him. He is proof that those investments pay off - and he will work to make sure the future of Virginia is bright for everyone.
The campaign wants to thank all of the volunteers, donors, phone bankers, texters, interns, supporters, door knockers, postcard writers - in short, all of the amazing grassroots support - that we have received over the past ten months. This was truly a community endeavor and we should all be proud of what we were able to accomplish together.
From Senator-Elect Salim: "I want to thank everyone who worked so hard on this campaign. I set out ten months ago to win this seat because I felt strongly that the people in this district deserved better - people deserved a strong Democratic voice on reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, affordable housing, healthcare, education and all the other issues we value. People should always be sure that I will stand up for the issues they care about - I will fight in the Senate for the people of my district. Thank you for believing in me and I can't wait to get to work for the people down in Richmond!"
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