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Democratic candidate Rawa Ruman, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, won a seat in the Georgia State Senate representing the 7th district in the midterm elections held on Tuesday, November 3. With her victory over Republican opponent Ayaz Sheikh, Ruman became the first American of Palestinian descent to join the Georgia State Senate, having previously made history in 2022 as the first Muslim and Palestinian woman elected to the state's House of Representatives. Rawa Ruman is an American politician of Palestinian origin, born in 1993 in Amman, Jordan. Her family moved to the United States, specifically Georgia, when she was seven years old. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Oglethorpe University in 2015 and a Master's degree in Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University in 2019. Ruman has been actively engaged in politics and community service, describing herself as passionate about politics, civic engagement, interfaith dialogue, and community service. She has volunteered in every election cycle since 2014, worked as a field organizer for the Muslim Voter Project in Georgia, and served as communications director for the Georgia branch of CARE. In 2020, she helped many Georgia residents learn how to participate in elections and worked as a field organizer for the Asian American Advocacy Fund. In October 2025, she announced her candidacy for governor of Georgia, focusing on raising the minimum wage, expanding healthcare access, and supporting small businesses. Ruman was educated in Atlanta, graduating from South Forsyth High School in 2011, and earning her bachelor's degree from Oglethorpe University in 2015. In 2017, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she obtained her master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University's McCourt School, served as president of the student association, and participated in the student advisory council at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service. She has been involved in community and political organizing since her university years, participating in the 2014 campaign of former state senator Jason Carter, who ran for governor. In 2022, she won a seat in the Georgia state legislature as a Democrat in the midterm elections with 57.7% of the vote, becoming the first Muslim woman to hold public office in the state. Her campaign emphasized the need for government to work for everyone, pledging to fund education fully, close economic opportunity gaps, expand healthcare access, and protect voting rights. In October 2025, she declared her candidacy for Georgia governor in the 2026 election, stressing the need for Democrats to have a clearer progressive vision and greater focus on voter organization. She highlighted rising living costs and criticized Republicans for focusing on political posts and corporate interests instead of addressing the crisis. Ruman believes the government should fight for the people, advocating that budgets be invested in citizens rather than tax breaks for corporations and private interests.
