But who is Aber Kawas? Where does she come from? How did she become involved in American politics? And how did a community organiser with no previous experience as an elected politician secure a seat in the New York State Senate?
Who Is Aber Kawas and Where Does She Come From?
Aber Kawas is a Palestinian-American community organiser and social activist. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, to Palestinian parents who moved to the United States in the 1990s.
Unlike immigrants who move to the United States and later acquire citizenship, Kawas was born in the country and is therefore an American citizen by birth. Under the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, most people born in the United States are granted citizenship.
One of the defining experiences of her early life was the detention and deportation of her father. When Kawas was in high school, US immigration authorities detained her father and deported him to Jordan.
Kawas has described the experience as one of the most difficult periods of her life. According to her, her father's deportation placed the family under financial pressure, forcing her siblings to work and contribute to household expenses.
The experience later became an important influence on her activism and views on immigration policy.
What Did She Do Before Entering Electoral Politics?
Before running for office, Kawas spent more than 15 years working as a community organiser.
Her work focused on workers' rights, immigration issues and Palestinian rights. She was also involved in organising Arab and Muslim communities in New York.
One of her prominent campaigns was Not On Our Dime, an initiative aimed at preventing New York-registered non-profit organisations from providing financial support to groups that support Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The campaign's legislative effort did not succeed. However, the experience encouraged Kawas to enter electoral politics and seek a direct role in the lawmaking process.
Kawas also holds a master's degree in Islamic Liberation Theology from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. She returned to New York in 2024.
How Did She Win a New York State Senate Seat?
Kawas won the New York State Senate seat for District 12 in the US midterm elections held on November 3, 2026.
The seat is part of the upper chamber of the New York State Legislature, not the US Congress. District 12 covers parts of Queens and Brooklyn.
Her path to victory began with the Democratic Party primary in June 2026. After winning the party's nomination, she went on to contest the general election as the Democratic candidate.
In the general election, she faced Republican candidate Han-Khon To. According to preliminary results, Kawas secured approximately 74 per cent of the vote, while her opponent received around 25 per cent.
Her victory was declared after more than 90 per cent of the votes had been counted in the preliminary results. She became a member of the New York State Senate in her first electoral contest.
Which Political Figures Supported Her Campaign?
Kawas received support from prominent figures associated with the progressive wing of American politics.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, US Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib publicly backed her campaign.
She is also associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an organisation that advocates progressive political and social change in the United States.
The backing of these political figures brought additional visibility to her campaign and helped strengthen her support among progressive circles.
What Were the Main Issues in Her Campaign?
Kawas's campaign slogan was "Fund Dignity, Fight Destruction." Her platform focused on several issues affecting residents of New York, including:
Affordable housing: Addressing rising rents and the growing cost of housing.
Healthcare: Improving access to affordable and better healthcare services.
Public transport: Supporting affordable and reliable public transportation.
Immigrants' rights: Limiting cooperation between state institutions and federal immigration authorities, while strengthening protections for immigrant communities.
Palestinian rights: Supporting Palestinian rights and opposing financial assistance for war.
Environmental protection: Taking action to address the effects of climate change.
What Contributed to Her Electoral Success?
Several factors may have contributed to Kawas's victory. These include her long experience in community organising, her understanding of local concerns, support from progressive political figures and a campaign centred on issues such as housing costs and the cost of living.
Her family's experience with immigration enforcement also shaped her political position and helped make immigrant rights a prominent part of her campaign.
The support of figures such as Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders and Rashida Tlaib brought further political attention to her candidacy.
However, it would be difficult to attribute her victory to any single factor. The election results, political trends in the district, voters' priorities and the effectiveness of her campaign may all have played a role.
Why Is Her Victory Significant?
Kawas's victory is more than an electoral success. It represents a significant development in the political representation of Palestinian and Muslim Americans at the state level.
Her election comes at a time when immigration, housing costs, US policy towards Israel and Palestine, and civil rights remain prominent issues in American political debate.
As a member of the New York State Senate, Kawas will now have the opportunity to represent her district and participate in lawmaking on housing, transportation, immigration and other state-level issues.
Her journey from community organising to elected office marks a new chapter in her political career and in the representation of Palestinian-Americans in New York politics.
