MUSLIM -US- CANDIDATES

MUSLIM CANDIDATES running in record numbers face backlash. A liberal woman of color with zero name recognition and little funding  takes down a powerful, long serving congressman from her own political  party

When Tahirah Amatul-Wadud heard about Alexaandria Ocasio-Cortez's stunning upset over US Rep. Joe Crowley in New York's Democratic primary  last month, the first-time candidate was parallels  with her own longshot campaign for Congress in western Massachusetts.

The 44-year-old Muslim, African-American civil rights  lawyer, who is taking on a 30-year congressman and ranking Democrat on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, says she wasn't alone, as encouragement, volunteers and donations started pouring in.

"We could barely stay on top of the residual love," says Amatul Wadud, US Rep. Richard  Neal's  lone challenger in the state's Sept. 4 Democratic primary. "It sent a message to all of our volunteers, voters and supporters that winning is very possible."

From Congress to state legislatures and school boards, Muslim American spurred to action by the anti-Muslim policies and rhetoric of President Donald Trump and his supporters are running for elected offices in numbers  not seen since before  the terrorists attack of Sept 11, 2001, says  Muslim groups and political observers.

Many, like Amatul-Wadud, hope to ride the surge of progressive activism within the  Democratic Party that delivered Ocasio-Cortez's unlikely  win and  could help propel  the  Democrats  back to power  in November.

Still, the  path to victory can be tougher  for a  Muslim American. Some promising campaign already  have fizzled out while many more  face strong  anti-Muslim backlash.

In Michigan, Democrat candidate for  governor Abdul El- Sayed  continues to face unfounded claims  from a  GOP  rival  that  he has ties to the  controversial Muslim Brotherhood, even though  Republicans  and  Democrats  politicians  alike have denounced the accusations as " conspiracy  theories ".

In Rochester , Minnesota,  mayoral candidate  Regina Mustafa  has notified authorities  of  at least  two instances   where   anti-Muslim  threats  were posted on her  social  media accounts. [Agencies].

The honor and serving of the latest Operational  Research  on Muslim Candidates  in United States continues.