Staff Reports
Democratic Ohio Rep. Ismail Mohamed, a Somali immigrant, clinched victory in the Democratic primary for Ohio’s 3rd House District by speaking almost entirely in Somali during his victory speech. Talk about catering to a niche audience! Mohamed, the incumbent, trounced his fellow Somali competitor, Abdirizak Diini, with 55 percent to Diini’s measly 33 percent. Looks like Diini didn’t have the winning recipe this time!
Dem House Candidate gives Speech 100% in Somali after Primary Victory
Columbus OH is a sanctuary city. Currently has 45,000 Somali residents.
Are we going to learn before it is too late?https://t.co/UJZDM1v0BE
— Crazy Cat Lady (@Anne_Gee_2923) March 21, 2024
At the ripe age of 31, this Columbus lawyer has etched his name in Ohio’s history books as the first Somali lawmaker in the state, following in the footsteps of Munira Abdullahi, who also secured a win in Ohio’s 9th district. Talk about diversity showing up in the Buckeye State! Mohamed’s journey from a Somali refugee to a lawmaker is quite the American dream story, but let’s hope his policies lean more towards apple pie than falafel.
With Columbus hosting over 45,000 Somali residents, Mohamed centered his campaign on representing his community, which makes sense considering Columbus has the second biggest Somali population in the U.S., right behind Ilhan Omar’s district in Minnesota. Speaking directly to his community, Mohamed even took his campaign to a Somali-owned TV network. Talk about reaching your target audience! But let’s hope he’s representing all his constituents, not just those who understand his native language.
The fact that Mohamed previously lost in 2018 but emerged victorious this time is as surprising as a sunny day in Ohio. His platform focuses on championing affordable housing and education, which sounds noble, but let’s hope he’s not just throwing money at every problem. Let’s see if he can walk the talk and truly make a difference for all the residents in his district. Cheers to Ismail Mohamed, Ohio’s new Somali sensation in the political circus!
