Ohio state Rep. Ismail Mohamed delivers victory speech in Somali

Ohio state Representative Ismail Mohamed delivered his victory speech in Somali on Tuesday night following his win in the Democratic primary for the state’s 3rd House District. Mohamed, an immigrant from Somalia, won the primary by a landslide, defeating both Abdirizak Diini – a fellow Somali immigrant – and Julia Trabold, an area political activist. Mohamed, 31, was the district’s incumbent representative. He first won election in 2022, becoming the state’s first Somali lawmaker – alongside Munira Abdullahi, who represents the state’s 9th District.

Now a Midwestern attorney, Mohamed first came to the United States in 2005 as a refugee. After fleeing his home country, he spent a period of time in Kenya before landing on America’s shores, and graduating from high school in Ohio. His father became a citizen after working with the US armed forces as an Arabic translator during the US invasion of Iraq. Shortly after, he sponsored Mohamed and his family’s visas, which allowed them to settle into life in Ohio. Like other Somali representatives, Mohamed focused much of his campaign on representing the significant Somali population in his area.

Columbus, Ohio is home to more than 45,000 Somalis – the largest population in the country aside from the district in Minnesota that is represented by Ilhan Omar . His primary election night victory speech was not the first time Mohamed appealed to his constituency directly in Somali. Ahead of the election, the representative released a campaign video on Somalia’s state-owned TV channel. In the ad, he discusses his previous achievements, which include getting a street in Ohio named for Sayyid Mohamed Abdulla Hassan, the man who is considered the father of Somali nationalism.

He also spoke about the growing number of Somali representatives in the US government. He called the group a ‘tight knit organization’ who even communicate via group chat. ‘Our aim as a united front is to lobby for Somalia,’ he said, also referring to Ilhan Omar as the Somalis’ representative at the state level, pushing for policies that prioritize their home country’s interests. Outside of his objectives pertaining to Somalia, Mohamed’s platform falls into lockstep with key tenets of the modern progressive agenda.

He said his main priorities are working on equity in housing and education. ‘I want to use my voice to fight for equitable policies, all in the pursuit of a brighter future for every resident across the district and State,’ he told the Columbus Dispatch. Following his win, Mohamed also posted a lengthy ‘thank you’ to his Facebook page, this time in English. ‘I want to take a moment to reflect on the recent election, as it presented unique challenges, including a spirited challenge from within my own Somali community. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from this experience. It has opened my eyes to a broader range of concerns and perspectives within our district.

‘I understand the importance of acknowledging and addressing subject matter that may be sensitive to different communities within our district. As your representative, I must serve and represent every constituent, regardless of background or affiliation. ‘Moving forward, I will continue to lead with integrity, transparency, and a genuine commitment to the values and principles of the Democratic Party,’ he wrote in part Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, the most prominent Somali lawmaker in the country, found herself in hot water earlier this year after delivering a speech in Somali during which she seemed to say she would prioritize Somalian interests above all else.

Several right-wing lawmakers, including fellow Minnesotan representative Tom Emmer and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, called for her resignation from Congress and removal from the country. In a leaked video of the speech Omar delivered on January 27, Omar says to a room of fellow Somalis:

‘Sleep in comfort knowing I am here to protect the interest of Somalia from inside the U.S. system,’ according to a translated version of the video. ‘The US government will only do what Somalians in the U.S. tell them to do. They will do what we want and nothing else.’

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