First Muslim women elected to House

Rashida Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, and Somali-American Ilhan Omar became the first Muslim women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, The Associated Press projected, after winning their contests in Michigan and Minnesota, respectively.

Tlaib was a shoo-in for the Detroit area 13th district after she won the Democratic primary in August. A former state representative, Tlaib, won the seat long held by Democrat John Conyers, who resigned in December amid allegations of sexual harassment.

Omar was elected in Minnesota’s 5th district, a heavily Democratic area that includes Minneapolis and surrounding areas. Somali-born Omar succeeds Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, who ran for attorney general.