Democratic gubernatorial race offers wide representation and diversity
February 9th, 20180 This gubernatorial election has a pool of Democratic candidates who represent a diverse range of backgrounds, including an Arab American, an African American and an Indian American. If any of them are elected, it would be first for the state. The fourth and leading candidate, Gretchen Whitmer, would be the state's second woman...
Rashida Tlaib seeks Conyers’ seat, would be first Muslim woman in Congress
February 6th, 20180 DETROIT — Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat, has officially thrown her hat in the race for Michigan's 13th congressional district. The seat was left open by longstanding U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit), who retired in December amid sexual harassment allegations. "Serving in the U.S. Congress is about much more than voting on bills,"...
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans announces re-election bid
January 26th, 20180 DETROIT — On Jan. 22, Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans announced before a crowd of more than 100 supporters at the Samaritan Center on the city's east side that he'd seek a second term. "You find a way to make chicken pie out of chicken feathers," Evans said about his first term. "That's what we did, we took chicken feathers...
Dearborn’s longtime associate broker Sam Baydoun announces run for Wayne County Commission seat
January 26th, 20180 DEARBORN — Dearborn Real Estate associate broker and businessman Sam Baydoun announced that he will seek the Wayne County Commission seat being vacated by Chairman Gary Woronchak, who has opted against seeking another term on the county's governing board and will instead run for an open seat in the State Senate. Woronchak represents...
Dearborn’s longtime associate broker Sam Baydoun announces run for Wayne County Commissioner seat
January 24th, 20181 DEARBORN, Mich. – Dearborn Real Estate associate broker and businessman Sam Baydoun announced today that he will seek the Wayne County Commission seat being vacated by Chairman Gary Woronchak, who has opted to against seeking another term on the county's governing board and will instead run for an open seat in the State Senate....
Reps. Abdullah Hammoud and Darrin Camilleri receive Legislator of the Month awards
January 12th, 20180 LANSING — State Reps. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) and Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Township) were named co-recipients of Progress Michigan's Legislator of the Month Award. Hammoud and Camilleri were named for their efforts to engage young people in Dearborn and Downriver in the political process. "Decisions made day after day in...
Gary Woronchak gains an endorsement in his bid for State Senate
January 12th, 20180 DETROIT — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has announced her endorsement of Gary Woronchak for the State Senate in the Third District. "Gary Woronchak understands the challenges my office faces in fighting crime and will be an advocate to help us meet those challenges as a state senator," Worthy said. "He has demonstrated...
Elections: What to look for in 2018
January 5th, 20180 DEARBORN — This year, Michigan residents will have an opportunity to take part in setting new goals by shaking up the state's leadership, as numerous critical offices in both Washington, D.C. and Lansing become open. The primary election will be held on August 7 and the general election will be held on November 6. United States...
Former Dearborn mayoral candidate Tafelski halts vote recount, accepts election results
December 15th, 20170 DEARBORN — Former Dearborn mayoral candidate Tom Tafelski withdrew his petition for a recount a few hours after a recount began at the Dearborn Administrative Center. The Arab American News was informed that in the first three hours of recounting the votes for the November 7 election, Mayor Jack O'Reilly recovered eight additional...
This is how much candidates spent in Dearborn’s municipal elections
December 15th, 20170 DEARBORN — Candidates in Dearborn's Nov. 7 municipal elections spent almost $ 1 million during the election, according to the Wayne County Clerk. Dearbornites voted for a mayor, seven City Council members and a City Clerk. The final campaign finance reports show that all 18 candidates spent a total of $997,864 out of $1,146,725...
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin retiring from Congress when term ends next year
December 8th, 20170 ROYAL OAK — After 35 years in Congress, U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) is retiring and pursing a different career. The 86-year-old Democrat will not run for reelection in 2018, but will instead join the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, where he will continue to work on issues that have engrossed...
Detroit City Clerk vote recount begins
December 8th, 20170 DETROIT — The Wayne County Board of Canvassers began its recount of votes for Detroit's City Clerk on Tuesday at Cobo Center, two weeks after candidate Garlin Gilchrist II announced he was requesting it. He lost by a narrow margin to incumbent Janice Winfrey. Gilchrist said he had more than 30 campaign volunteers observing the...
Coalition emerges to fight legalized marijuana ballot proposal
December 2nd, 20172 LANSING — While supporters of a ballot proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use cleared their first hurdle by turning in more than enough signatures to tentatively qualify for the November 2018 ballot, more challenges are on the horizon. An opposing committee — Healthy and Productive Michigan — formed on Wednesday to...
Dearborn mayoral candidate Tom Tafelski files petition for recount
December 1st, 20170 DETROIT — Dearborn mayoral candidate and current City Councilman Tom Tafelski has filed a petition for votes recount for the November general elections. Tafelski lost the race against incumbent Mayor Jack O’Reilly Jr. 57 to 42 percent . O’Reilly garnered 10,999 votes while Tafelski received only 8,218. Tafelski claimed “voter...
Meet Mike Khader, Yonkers’ first Arab American City Council president
November 17th, 20170 YONKERS, NY — Last week, Mike Khader, an Arab American attorney and a former Central Intelligence Agency official, made history when he beat incumbent Republican City Council President Liam McLaughlin for his seat in the fourth largest city in New York. Khader, 41, had never held elective office, but said he decided to run after he......
Commissioner Gary Woronchak to run for state senate
November 15th, 20170 DEARBORN — On Thursday, Nov. 2, Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak (D-Dearborn) announced he won’t be seeking reelection, after being unopposed for reelection in 2014 and 2016, he plans to run for the third state Senate District in 2018. The district encompasses Dearborn and Melvindale and includes a portion of...
Voters in Detroit and Westland stay with the status quo
November 10th, 20170 DETROIT — On Tuesday, Nov. 7, incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan retained his seat, defeating State Sen. Coleman A. Young II in a landslide victory, with 72 percent of the vote. "It's been a year-long campaign and though all of the different kinds of attacks, I've been treated with nothing but warmth and kindness from Detroiters… I am...
Hamtramck’s Karen Majewski wins re-election as mayor, Al-Marsoumi elected to City Council
November 10th, 20170 HAMTRAMCK — Mayor Karen Majewski won reelection to a fourth term on Tuesday, Nov. 7. She received 1,960 votes, while Mohammed Hassan finished with 1,231. The overall voter turnout in the city's Nov. 7 general elections was 22 percent. In the City Council race, Fadel Al-Marsoumi became the second Arab American elected to that...
Dearborn Heights Mayor Dan Paletko wins re-election, Bazzi joins City Council
November 10th, 20170 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — It looked to be a close race between Mayor Dan Paletko and City Councilwoman Lisa Hicks-Clayton in Tuesday's election, but once the absentee votes were counted, Paletko won by 1,143 votes. Paletko won with 4,467 votes, which was 55.83 percent of the total votes for mayor, and Hicks-Clayton received a total of......
Two new women join Dearborn City Council, Arab Americans top vote getters
November 10th, 20170 DEARBORN — A few months ago, a slew of new names on the Aug. 8 ballot signaled a community was gaining leverage in the local political sphere. While Arab Americans dominated the polls on Nov. 7, their victories were not among the elected candidates, but in the weight of their vote. Dearborn's primary elections saw a handful of...
Dearborn re-elects Mayor O’Reilly to ‘finish what he started’
November 10th, 20170 DEARBORN — It was the city's contentious mayoral race that drove most voters to the polls. Many voters told The AANews reporters they hoped for a change of course in the city government, as things have changed since Mayor O'Reilly was elected a decade ago. But voters re-elected O'Reilly with 10,999 votes (57 percent) in the Nov.......
Arab Americans eye voter unity, representation in city government ahead of Nov. 7 elections
November 3rd, 20170 DEARBORN – Since it was established in 1927, Dearborn has become recognized as a model city where families enjoy top-notch public schools, safety, city services and national landmarks. Unified on maintaining that level of city services, residents have taken a particular interest in their municipal elections throughout the decades,...
Misconduct allegations resurface against Dearborn Councilman Tafelski
November 3rd, 20170 DEARBORN ― Longtime Dearborn City Councilman Tom Tafelski and candidate for mayor, has been accused by multiple citizens of abusing his power while on the council. Tafelski, who has held the position since 2001, is fighting a heated race against Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly. He denies that any of allegations are true, calling......
