Democrats defeat top Islamophobes in congressional race

Congress’s top Islomophobes lost their congressional bid to Democrats, U.S. media reported.

On Tuesday, Democrat Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, defeated freshman Republican Rep. Joe Walsh known for his Islamophobia in Illinois, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Duckworth, who lost both legs in combat before turning to politics, won 55 percent of the votes.

Another Tea Party freshman, Allen West, lost his reelection bid to Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy early Wednesday.

With 100 percent of votes in from South Florida’s 18th District, Murphy defeated West by less than 2,500 votes, despite lopsided fundraising, The Daily Beast said. West has once described Islam as a “totalitarian theocratic political ideology” that is a “very vile and very vicious enemy.”

Another Islamophobic lawmaker, Republican Adam Hasner, was voted down by voters in Florida.

“These encouraging results clearly show that mainstream Americans reject anti-Muslim bigotry by candidates for public office and will demonstrate that rejection at the polls,” Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of the umbrella Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement obtained by OnIslam.net.