# Ibraheem Samirah

Ibraheem S. Samirah (born August 20, 1991) is an American politician. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 86th district from 2019 to 2022. First elected in a special election, his election and term were marked by controversy due to anti-semitic comments. He was defeated for re-election in the Democratic primary by Irene Shin in June 2021.
He has since been rejected in multiple Democratic primaries in unsuccessful attempts to return to elected office. In 2023, he was defeated by Suhas Subramanyam in a campaign for Virginia State Senate. In 2024, he lost to Kannan Srinivasan in another campaign for the State Senate and to Jas Jeet Singhin when he attempted to return to the House of Delegates.

## Early life and education

Samirah was born in Chicago on August 20, 1991 to Jordanian-Palestinian parents. Samirah's grandparents were Palestinian. He has described his father as a community activist in the Muslim community. In 2003 when Samirah was 11, his father was denied re-entry into the United States as a national security risk. This resulted in the family moving to Amman, Jordan.
In 2013, Samirah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and political science from American University. He co-founded a Jewish Voice for Peace chapter at the school and was an observant Muslim throughout college.
He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University in 2017. Samirah was a member of Students for Justice in Palestinein Boston.

## Career
### House of Delegates
#### 2019 Election

After Delegate Jennifer Boysko was elected to the Senate of Virginia, Samirah ran for her vacant seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, winning a special election in February 2019. In July 2019, he heckled a speech by Donald Trump. He ran for reelection unopposed that November. In the 2020 session, Samirah backed a bill to allow for expanded absentee voting and recognize election day as a state holiday.

#### Claim of Islamophobia

In a town hall after his election, he was asked by a constituent whether he planned to implement Sharia law leading Samirah to claim that his faith had been attacked. Over two dozen protesters, some with anti-abortion and pro-Israel signs, protested outside during the town hall.

#### 2021 defeat

He drew a challenger in the Democratic primary in 2021 and was defeated by non-profit organizer Irene Shin who went on to win the general election. Following his defeat, in October 2021, he posted on social media accusing Mossad of creating fossil fuel wars.

### 2023 unsuccessful State Senate campaign

In 2023, Samirah ran for the Virginia State Senate in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 32nd State Senate District. He was overwhelmingly defeated in the Democratic primary by Del. Suhas Subramanyam who went on to win the general election.

### 2024 unsuccessful State Senate campaign

In 2024, after Suhas Subramanyam's election to the United States House of Representatives, Samirah ran to replace his seat in a firehouse primary held on November 16, 2024, losing to Del. Kannan Srinivasan.

### 2024 failed State House comeback attempt

After losing his campaign for State Senate, Samirah attempted another comeback running for House District 26 in the same year. His residency in the district was questioned during the campaign. JJ Singh won the election with Samirah coming in third.

## Antisemitism controversy

In 2014, Samirah made a series of anti-Israel posts on his Facebook account. One post reshared a letter which stated that funding Israel is like supporting the Ku Klux Klan. On another post, Samirah wrote in response to the death of former prime minister of Israel Ariel Sharon that “hell is excited to have you.” Samirah issued an apology for these posts in 2019 after a right-leaning website, which also broke news that led to the 2019 Virginia political crisis, publicized the posts. After he was defeated in the primary in 2021, he posted on social media accusing jews of creating fossil fuel wars.

## Electoral history
### February 2019 special election

After Jennifer Boysko was elected to the Senate of Virginia, Samirah ran in the special election to complete the remainder of her term in February 2019.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Virginia House of Delegates, 86th district ||||||
| January 12, 2019 | Democratic primary | Ibraheem S. Samirah | Ibraheem S. Samirah | 733 | 35.8 |
| January 12, 2019 | Democratic primary | Kofi Annan | Kofi Annan | 615 | 30.0 |
| January 12, 2019 | Democratic primary | Mike O'Reilly | Mike O'Reilly | 503 | 24.6 |
| January 12, 2019 | Democratic primary | Chad Thompson | Chad Thompson | 196 | 9.6 |
| February 19, 2019 | Special | Ibraheem S. Samirah | Democratic | 3,740 | 59.5 |
| February 19, 2019 | Special | Gregg G. Nelson | Republican | 2,162 | 34.4 |
| February 19, 2019 | Special | Connie H. Hutchinson | Independent | 370 | 5.9 |
| February 19, 2019 | Special | Write Ins | Write Ins | 13 | 0.2 |
| Jennifer Boysko resigned; seat stayed Democratic ||||

### 2019 general election

Following his win in the 2019 special election, Samirah was unopposed for reelection in the November general election.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Virginia House of Delegates, 86th district ||||||
| November 5, 2019 | General | Ibraheem S. Samirah | Democratic | 14,730 | 88.9 |
| November 5, 2019 | General | Write Ins | Write Ins | 1,836 | 11.1 |

### 2021 general election primary

Samirah filed for reelection in 2021. However, he was defeated in the Democratic primary by Irene Shin.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Virginia House of Delegates, 86th district |||||
| June 8, 2021 | Democratic primary | Irene Shin | 3,415 | 51.7 |
| June 8, 2021 | Democratic primary | Ibraheem S. Samirah | 3,185 | 48.3 |

### 2023 general election

Samirah unsuccessfully ran for State Senate in 2023 and was defeated in the primary by Suhas Subramanyam.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Virginia State Senate, 32nd district |||||
| June 20, 2023 | Democratic primary | Suhas Subramanyam | 11,178 | 73.7 |
| June 20, 2023 | Democratic primary | Ibraheem S. Samirah | 4,000 | 26.4 |

### 2024 special election

After Suhas Subramanyam's election to the United States House of Representatives, a special election was held for his vacant seat.
| Date | Election | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Virginia House of Delegates, 32nd district |||||
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Kannan Srinivasan | 2,698 | 44.5% |
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Ibraheem Samirah | 1,288 | 21.2% |
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Buta Biberaj | 823 | 13.6% |
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Sreedhar Nagireddi | 574 | 9.5% |
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Hurunnessa Fariad | 428 | 7.1% |
| November 13, 2024 | Democratic primary | Puja Khanna | 254 | 4.2% |

## Personal life

Samirah lives in Sterling, Virginia.