The 34-year-old Palestinian-American, who lives in Brooklyn, secured 74.3% of the votes, defeating Republican candidate Han-Khon To by a significant margin. Kawas had previously won the Democratic primary with the support of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders, securing her party’s nomination and paving the way for her Senate bid.
Along with becoming the first Palestinian-American elected to New York’s state legislature, Kawas is also the first Muslim woman to be elected to the state legislature. During her election campaign, she opposed US funding for Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The victory is particularly significant for Kawas, who was contesting an election for the first time. She secured the Democratic Party’s nomination for State Senate District 12 in June. The Queens district is considered a stronghold of the Democratic Party, and several progressive Democrats backed her campaign.
Her supporters included New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Senator Bernie Sanders and House member Rashida Tlaib.
Kawas contested the election on a Democratic Social agenda and received the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America. The group has made considerable progress since last year, when its member Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral election in New York City.
Kawas was born in New York to Palestinian parents and grew up in the city. Her parents were Palestinians who moved to the United States and settled there during the 1990s.
Before entering politics, Kawas worked as an organiser for more than 15 years. During this period, she campaigned for workers’ rights, immigrant communities and Palestinian rights.
We made history. 🇵🇸 https://t.co/r9dnacASP5
— Aber Kawas (@AberKawas) November 4, 2026
Earlier this month, she opposed an agreement between the New York Police Department (NYPD) and Israeli surveillance company Cognyte. The $750,000 agreement was aimed at developing AI-based mobile phone tracking technology.
Following strong opposition from civil rights groups, the NYPD withdrew from the agreement last week.
Kawas’ election victory marks a historic moment for Palestinian-American and Muslim representation in New York’s state legislature. Her campaign, which focused on workers’ rights, immigrant communities and Palestinian rights, also brought her opposition to US funding for Israel’s actions in Gaza into the state election debate.
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