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3d ago

Aber Kawas Wins New York State Senate Seat as Past Remarks and Photos Draw Intense Scrutiny

The victory adds to gains for DSA-aligned politics and raises fresh questions about candidate vetting ahead of the general election.

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Aber Kawas, a Palestinian-American activist who just won her race for New York State Senate has long made her father’s deportation the emotional cornerstone of her political identity — describing it as a trauma inflicted by a “cruel immigration system” targeting Muslim communities post-9/11, Image 2 shows Her father, Abdelkareem Kawas, a Jordanian national who entered the US in 1989 on a visitor visa and overstayed, racked up felony convictions in two states, Image 3 shows Abdelkareem Kawas had a 1995 guilty verdict in Virginia for making a false statement, and a 2006 guilty plea in New Jersey for third-degree property theft by deception for which he was sentenced to three years in prison.
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Overview

  • Aber Kawas, a Palestinian-American activist aligned with Democratic Socialists of America groups, has been reported as the winner of New York State Senate District 32 and is expected to take the seat in Albany.
  • Kawas’s campaign drew local left-wing backing, including an endorsement cited from Zohran Mamdani and a statement from NYC-DSA praising her win and framing her victory around Palestinian representation.
  • Shortly after the result circulated, an unearthed clip attributed to Kawas circulated in which she linked the roots of 9/11 to systemic issues such as capitalism, racism and Islamophobia and described the attacks as perpetrated by “a couple of people,” prompting strong criticism.
  • Images shared on social media have been reported to show Kawas wearing a headband described by some outlets as linked to Hamas fighters, a claim that has intensified controversy but relies on limited-source reporting and should be independently verified.
  • The outcome could strengthen DSA-backed influence in New York politics and is already prompting divergent media and partisan reactions that may shape coverage, campaign scrutiny, and voter debate in the run-up to November.