27-year-old progressive and former legislative aide Madinah Wilson-Anton has become the first Muslim woman to be elected to office in Delaware in the state’s 233-year history, the Newark Post reports.
The Democrat defeated 70-year-old incumbent John Viola for the 26th District seat – Viola had occupied the seat since 1998.
Born in Newark, Delaware, Madinah Wilson-Anton whose campaign was hinged on equitable education, affordable housing & safe communities for all had always called for change in her community, influenced by experience.
She currently works as a policy analyst at the University of Delaware’s Biden Institute,
“Our legislators are so used to how things are that they lost the imagination for what’s possible. It’s the people that are within the system now that’s not going to fix it, so we need to elect people who will,” Wilson-Anton told the Newark Post earlier in her campaign. “A lot of things seem controversial in the legislative hall, but it’s not controversial at all when you talk to people in the community…Frustration really inspired me to run, because I’m tired of complaining, and I want to make a difference.”
Voters elected Wilson-Anton as the 26th district representative, winning by just 43 votes. Excited she tweeted;
“We won by 43 votes. 43 VOTES! Every. Single. Vote. Matter. THANK YOU! I am humbled by the trust that the voters have placed in me. Now, it’s time to win in November and get to work implementing our people-powered agenda. I’m proud to be on the side of the people,” she said.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib also tweeted in support of the new Delaware Rep, writing, “Tears of joy.”
