- Saba Haider, Nabeela Syed win Illinois midterm elections.
- Indian-origin Muslim women achieve historic victories in US.
- Haider becomes first South Asian immigrant woman to reach Illinois Assembly.
US Midterm Election Results: Two Indian-origin Muslim women have brought a moment of pride for the Indian diaspora after registering significant victories in the US midterm elections. Democrat leaders Saba Haider and Nabeela Syed have secured big wins in Illinois, marking an important step forward for South Asian and Muslim representation in US politics. While Haider has become the first South Asian immigrant woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly, Syed has won a seat in the Illinois State Senate.
Who Is Saba Haider?
Saba Haider originally comes from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. She moved to the US around two decades ago with her husband. Over the years, she became actively involved in community work and local governance before entering state-level politics. Haider completed her schooling at Holy Child School in Ghaziabad and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree from RG Girls College, where she also received a gold medal.
A proud moment for the AMU community: AMU alumna Saba Haider’s victory as the Democratic candidate for Illinois’s 84th District in the State House of Representatives! Saba earned her https://t.co/0olDyshwhD. in Wildlife Science from AMU. https://t.co/jep3sA8aB7
— AMU Network (@AMUNetwork) November 5, 2026
She then pursued an MSc in Wildlife Sciences from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), graduating with a gold medal. Her husband works as a software engineer at the World Bank. Haider then became involved in local initiatives and governance in Illinois. Her political journey gained momentum when she was elected to the DuPage County Board.
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Haider later secured the Democratic nomination for Illinois House District 84. She won more than 63 per cent of the vote in the March primary before going on to secure a big victory in the November 3 election. Her constituency includes areas such as Naperville, Aurora, Oswego, Montgomery, Boulder Hill, and Plainfield.
About Nabeela Syed
Nabeela Syed belongs to a younger generation of Indian-origin political leaders. Her family traces its roots to Hyderabad, Telangana. Her parents moved to the US in the 1980s, and she grew up in Palatine, Illinois. At just 27, she has already built a strong political career and is now entering the Illinois State Senate.
She completed her graduation from the University of California, Berkeley. Before entering elected politics, she worked in digital strategy for a non-profit organisation. Her political journey began to attract attention in 2022, when she was just 23 years old. She defeated Republican incumbent Chris Bos to win a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives from District 51.
This victory made her the youngest woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly and one of the first Muslim women to serve in the state legislature. She was re-elected in 2024. In the latest election, Syed won Illinois State Senate District 26 with approximately 57 per cent of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Darby Hills.
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