By Simon Albaugh<\/p>\n
Hamtramck, Mich. \u2013 Although the official results haven\u2019t been released yet, the Democratic Nominee has become clear. Abraham Aiyash has earned more than double the votes of any other candidate in the District 4 State Representative Election.<\/p>\n
As a longtime friend of the late Rep. Isaac Robinson, Aiyash began his campaign soon after the untimely death of the beloved State Representative. It was a hardworking campaign, as one observer said, garnering support from both National and Local figures. After all, how many other candidates can say that they\u2019ve been endorsed by both Senator Bernie Sanders and Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski?<\/p>\n
In an interview with the Yemeni American News earlier in his campaign, Aiyash said that political power is not freely given from those in power. It is demanded, engaged with, and continuously worked on. \u201cAnd that quickly morphed my passion for building power in communities that largely are disempowered,\u201d Aiyash said.<\/p>\n
People within the Yemeni Community say that this is an essential step in actualizing their role in politics. This may be the highest office that someone in Southeast Michigan\u2019s Yemeni Community has ever earned.<\/p>\n
While this does legitimize the Yemeni Community as a whole, Mayor Karen Majewski explains that a capable politician like Abraham Aiyash is going to do a lot to legitimize Hamtramck itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect him to do big things in Lansing,\u201d Mayor Majewski said. \u201cAnd big things on our behalf especially. I think Hamtramck will be well represented.\u201d<\/p>\n
Talking about his plan for office today, Aiyash says that he\u2019s looking at the legislation that was left unfinished by Rep. Isaac Robinson. In order to honor Rep. Robinson\u2019s legacy, he\u2019ll be working to push some of those efforts forward as he finishes Robinson\u2019s term, before beginning his own.<\/p>\n
Abraham Aiyash has said that he considers himself a Progressive Democrat, part of a legacy of Democratic lawmakers aligning themselves with policy like the Green New Deal and Universal Single-Payer Healthcare. But Aiyash does have an eye for local issues.<\/p>\n
As part of his stated policy proposals, he\u2019s looking at Car Insurance Rates and what he sees as discriminatory rate-setting practices as a focus for his work in Lansing. Among other issues, he\u2019s also looking at Loan Forgiveness Programs for retaining college graduates in Michigan\u2019s workforce, and focusing on infrastructure improvements on a state-wide scale.<\/p>\n
Hamtramck had 13 good candidates running for the Democratic Nomination. Any one of them could\u2019ve represented District 4 in Lansing well. Now that the Democratic Nominee has been decided, voters can have a clear idea of who\u2019s going to represent them, since a Republican has not been elected for the past 4 elections.<\/p>\n
Meaning that it\u2019s almost completely certain that Abraham Aiyash is District 4\u2019s next State Representative.<\/p>\n