Seven candidates with family or biographical ties to African countries are competing for U.S. congressional seats Tuesday, spanning six states and one Senate race and six House contests.
The seven contests are among the races on the Nov. 3 midterm ballot. Federal Election Commission candidate records identify six candidates affiliated with Democratic or Democratic-Farmer-Labor parties and one Republican. Three sitting House members are seeking reelection; the other four are contesting seats they do not currently hold. They are competing in separate races, not on a shared ticket.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is running in Michigan. His campaign biography says his father emigrated from Egypt. In Colorado, Democratic nominee Melat Kiros is seeking the 1st Congressional District seat; her campaign says she was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Maryland Del. Adrian Boafo is the Democratic candidate in the 5th District. Boafo said his parents immigrated from Ghana.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is seeking another term in Minnesota’s 5th District. Her House biography says she was born in Somalia and that her family fled the country’s civil war. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., is running in Colorado’s 2nd District; his House biography says his parents immigrated from Eritrea. Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., is running in Rhode Island’s 1st District. In a 2023 House speech, Amo said his father came from Ghana and his mother from Liberia.
Republican U.S. House candidate Ndidiamaka Okpareke is running in New Mexico’s 1st District against incumbent Rep. Melanie Stansbury. Okpareke’s campaign biography says her parents came to the United States from Nigeria.
In his Jan. 12 campaign announcement, Boafo said, “Our state deserves a fighter in Congress who will deliver for their families.” Voters will decide the seven races Tuesday, Nov. 3.
