DETROIT — When State Representative Steve Tobocman was term-limited in 2008, he encouraged his staffer Rashida Tlaib to run for his 6th District seat. This year, a term-limited Tlaib encouraged community organizer Stephanie Chang to run for her seat in Tuesday’s primary. 

Tlaib herself sought the 4th District State Senate seat.

Chang won the democratic primary, defeating six other candidates, and will likely win the general election in November. After she declared Tuesday night, she came with her team to Tlaib’s post-election party with the hope of celebrating a “double-victory.” But it wasn’t to be. Tlaib lost to incumbent State Sen. Virgil Smith. 

Chang, who is of Taiwanese descent, would become the first Asian American woman to serve in the state legislature if she wins the November election. She would succeed Tlaib, a Palestinian American, who succeeded Tobocman, a Jewish American. 

“This goes to show that people want elected officials who can work as hard as they can, regardless of their background,” Chang told The Arab American News. 

She described Tlaib as an “inspiration. 

“There is no way I could have done it without her,” she added.

When Chang first arrived at Tlaib’s post-election gathering on the patio of Northern Lights Lounge in Downtown Detroit, the two candidates embraced each other, with tears of joy streaming down Chang’s cheeks. 

Initial results showed Tlaib had a slight lead over Smith. Smith lost about half of his constituents after the district was redrawn, but more than 95 percent of the voters were new to Tlaib.

Smith, the son of Circuit Court Judge Virgil Smith, Sr., a former state representative and state senator, also had the advantage of name recognition. 

A roar of cheers erupted among Tlaib’s supporters around midnight, after the Associated Press projected her as the winner. But Tobocman told supporters not to rush into celebrating because the campaign’s numbers did not match those of the media.

Tlaib won in the polls on Tuesday, but absentee ballots tilted the scale heavily in Smith’s favor. After the unofficial numbers of the absentee ballots came in, a vibe of disappointment lingered over the gathering, as it became apparent that Tlaib lost. 

Tlaib acknowledged her defeat and left after hugging some supporters, as Tobocman broke down the numbers to the crowd.

“While we won the vote at the polls yesterday by 500 votes (6,790 to 6,292), we lost the absentee ballots in Detroit by a significant margin and the unofficial results were 11,596 votes for State Senator Virgil Smith and 9,742 votes for us,” Tlaib wrote in a letter to supporters on Wednesday.

In an email, Tlaib also pledged to continue her activism for the people of the district, thanked her supporters and congratulated Smith on his victory.

“The fact that media outlets incorrectly projected me as the winner is immaterial to the lost opportunity to bring my unique brand of hard-work and service to the Michigan State Senate and the over 200,000 people of the 4th State Senate District,” she stated. “I congratulate Senator Smith for his hard fought victory. I look forward to continuing my advocacy for the people of Detroit and Downriver communities, especially in regards to environmental justice, education, family and human services.”

Andrew Goddeeris, an adviser for Tlaib’s campaign, said the state representative and her team worked the hardest possible. 

“We were climbing an uphill battle, going against a political dynasty in the city,” Goddeeris, who ran Tlaib’s campaign in 2012, said. “We couldn’t be prouder of Rashida and all the volunteers. More than 250 people were volunteering for the campaign today. This is a testament to how special a politician she is.”