It appears that all 4 of the Congressional / Senate races targeted by the National Muslim Democratic Council (NMDC) – a Muslim group that included the participation of both the Executive Director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and founder of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) – went their way. A fundraiser sponsored by the two Muslims in Congress – Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) – was also attended by House Minority leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
The details of the May 16, 2012 fundraiser were published by the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT). The group listed 4 “key races” (2 in the Senate and 2 in the House) and is celebrating the results of all of them.
Those races were as follows:
MICHIGAN (Senate): Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) over Pete Hoekstra (R). This race was a runaway for the incumbent, who raised nearly three times as much money as Hoekstra, a congressman who has been one of the few to openly raise concerns about CAIR. In 2009, he was a signatory to a letter entitled, “Beware of CAIR” back in 2009. The NMDC’s support for Stabenow may have had more to do with defeating Hoekstra than it did with supporting the Democrat.
VIRGINIA (Senate): Tim Kaine (D) over George Allen (R). Very close race to fill the seat vacated by outgoing Democratic Senator Jim Webb. If the NMDC’s fundraising efforts had an impact on any of the election results, this may have been one of them.
FLORIDA (House): Patrick Murphy (D) over Allen West (R). West, also a vocal critic of CAIR, already faced an uphill battle when he was re-destricted. Nonetheless, he came very close but lost. The outspoken West was clearly viewed by groups like CAIR as a nuisance.
OHIO (House): Joyce Beatty (D) over Chris Long (R). This was a race with no incumbent as it is a newly created district that was won by Beatty.
Save for a handful of exceptions, the Republican Party has largely avoided confrontations with groups like CAIR. If the aforementioned results are any indication, it will not be able to do that much longer.