By Habeeb Ibrahim
At least 21 politicians of African descent have been listed among the winners of the November 3, 2026 United States midterm elections, securing positions in Congress, state legislatures and local government.
The winners include 14 Nigerian-Americans and seven other politicians with roots in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia and Somalia.
Below is the list of the politicians and the positions they won.
Nigerian-Americans
1. Will Jawando – Maryland
Jawando won the Montgomery County executive election, defeating Republican candidate Esther Wells with 78 per cent of the votes counted.
2. Junior Ezeonu – Texas
The 27-year-old Nigerian-American, born in Onitsha, Anambra State, won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives for District 101.
3. Oye Owolewa – Washington, DC
Owolewa won an at-large seat on the District of Columbia Council, polling 69 per cent of the votes.
4. Carol Kazeem – Pennsylvania
Kazeem retained her seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for District 159, defeating Republican challenger Michael Bannon.
5. Segun Adeyina – Georgia
Adeyina won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 110.
6. Solomon Adesanya – Georgia
Adesanya won election to the Georgia House of Representatives, representing District 43.
7. Esther Agbaje – Minnesota
Agbaje secured another term in the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 59B.
8. Ukeme Awakessien-Jeter – Ohio
Awakessien-Jeter won re-election to the Ohio House of Representatives for District 7.
9. Olaleye Onikuyide – Connecticut
Onikuyide won a seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives for District 19.
10. Gabe Okoye – Georgia
Okoye won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 102.
11. Phil Olaleye – Georgia
Olaleye secured victory in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 59.
12. Justin Onwenu – Michigan
Onwenu won the Michigan State Senate election for District 1.
13. Janelle Anyanonu – New Mexico
Anyanonu won a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives for District 19.
14. Odus Evbagharu – Texas
Evbagharu won election to the Texas House of Representatives for District 135.
Other Africans and politicians of African descent
15. Abdul El-Sayed – Egypt
El-Sayed, whose parents are Egyptian immigrants, won the Michigan Senate race. His victory makes him the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.
16. Melat Kiros – Ethiopia
Kiros, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, won a seat in the US House of Representatives in Colorado.
17. Adrian Boafo – Ghana
Boafo, a Ghanaian-American politician, won Maryland’s 5th Congressional District. He previously served on the Bowie City Council and as a Maryland state delegate.
18. Ilhan Omar – Somalia
Somali-born Omar won re-election to the US House of Representatives in Minnesota, securing another term in Congress. She was first elected in 2018.
19. Naquetta Ricks – Liberia
Ricks, a Liberian-American politician, won re-election to the Colorado House of Representatives for District 40.
20. Deqa Dhalac – Somalia
Dhalac, who was born in Somalia, won re-election to the Maine House of Representatives. She previously served as mayor of South Portland.
21. Munira Abdullahi – Somalia
Abdullahi, a Somali-American politician, won re-election to the Ohio House of Representatives for District 9.
The victories add to the representation of African immigrants and their descendants in American politics, with winners securing positions at federal, state and local levels.
