Could Sam Rasoul become the second Palestinian American in Congress?

The Virginia Democrat, whose parents come from the West Bank, tells 'The National' that 'tax dollars shouldn't go to funding a genocide in Gaza'

Sam Rasoul was born in Ohio to Palestinian parents. AP

Sam Rasoul, a Palestinian-American politician from Virginia, says he is considering a run for Congress next year, as his state prepares for a probable redrawing that could reshape the nation's political map.

Mr Rasoul, 44, says he is motivated by the desire to advance affordable health care to all Americans, environmental reform and an end to US funding for wars abroad.

“People are anxious for a different type of politics,” he tells The National. “If you show up and listen, people respond.”

Mr Rasoul also says he feels compelled to oppose President Donald Trump's policies. If he wins election, he would join Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of Congress.

Mr Rasoul is part of a new wave of young, progressive politicians making headway in US politics. New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, won last month on a platform focused on affordability and economic equality.

Mr Rasoul first entered politics in 2008, when he challenged a Republican incumbent for a congressional seat. Aged 27 at the time, he was the youngest congressional candidate in the nation.

He lost that election, but credits that experience for later successes at the polls. He has represented the District of Roanoke in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2014, and has won every re-election cycle since, every two years.

In the Democratic Party, he aligns himself with what he calls a growing “pro-peace faction".

“The grassroots overwhelmingly want a different approach," he says.

'Peace messenger'

Mr Rasoul's full name is Salam, which is Arabic for "peace". His parents come from the West Bank town of El Bireh, near Ramallah.

Like many Arab and Muslim Americans named Osama, Hosam or Wisam, he says he became Sam shortly after starting school in Ohio. The American pronunciation of his full name sounded too similar to "Saddam".

"Rasoul", meanwhile, is Arabic for "messenger" – an apt name, he says, for his foreign policy platform.

When he was first elected to Virginia's House of Delegates, he was the legislature's only Muslim. Today, he is one of three. This month, he started exploring a run for Congress.

The state of Virginia is diverse, with sizable and growing black, Hispanic and Asian communities. It is also home to an estimated 300,000 Arab Americans and about 200,000 Muslims.

That diversity, however, is concentrated in northern Virginia and not in Roanoke, Mr Rasoul's voter base, in south-west Virginia.

He says the exploratory committee will allow him to travel, meet residents across potential districts, and “prepare for whatever map emerges".

“We’re in a holding pattern,” he says. “But once the voters decide on redistricting, we’ll have a clearer picture of what comes next.”

Drawing on his previous professional experience in non-profit health care, Mr Rasoul has focused his campaign on lowering healthcare costs.

He says previous Democratic presidents have compromised on the issue, and kept private insurance companies at an advantage at the expense of Americans.

Mr Rasoul has also spoken out on the war in Gaza, calling it a genocide. He has called to end all US military aid to Israel, saying American tax dollars are better spent elsewhere.

While his comments have caused a backlash, he says that was to be expected.

"I think being Palestinian or Palestinian American, it's almost like you're born with that target on your back," Mr Rasoul says. “I’ve been clear … about me believing that our tax dollars shouldn’t go to funding a genocide in Gaza.”

This summer, after he criticised Zionism in a post on social media, some of the backlash came from within his own Democratic Party.

"I think a lot of us have watched in horror as Congress has continued to rubber-stamp billions of dollars to bomb children abroad, while we have so many needs here domestically," Mr Rasoul says.

Fight over redistricting

Mr Rasoul would enter the national political arena at an interesting moment.

Before the 2026 midterm elections, Mr Trump has set in motion a nationwide "mid-decade" redistricting race, after urging Republican-controlled states to redraw their congressional maps to boost their chances of controlling the House of Representatives.

Texas, Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri have so far approved redistricting plans that are expected to help Republicans win more seats.

In Texas, a federal court initially blocked the Republicans’ new map as gerrymandering, but the Supreme Court later voted to allow the map to be used for 2026.

Democrats have sought to redraw maps as well, and the party could gain a handful of seats in California and Utah. Virginia Democrats are also drawing up plans to redistrict their state, hoping to boost their party's chances in the midterm elections and counter Mr Trump's push.

The midterm elections are scheduled for November 3. Historically, sitting presidents lose several seats.

Mr Trump, an unconventional and at times confrontational President, wants to ensure that he can pass his legislative agenda during his remaining time in office.

"That's a political matter and, frankly, a legal one," Mr Trump said in response to a question on the nationwide redistricting. "I won't comment on it here."

But his bid has run into resistance, including from his own party. The Indiana Senate rejected a redistricting plan, voting 31–19 against it this month, with 21 Republicans joining all 10 Democrats in opposition.

Had it passed, Republicans would have probably gained two seats.

Mr Trump said that he was "very disappointed" with the Indiana State Senate Republicans. He said those who opposed the measure should be "primaried".

The margins are already tight in the House. Republicans hold 220 seats, while Democrats hold 213, meaning every vote counts.

In Mr Rasoul's state of Virginia, the redistricting effort would require a voter referendum. New districts could be authorised as early as this spring. Democrats could win two to three seats, according to a study by the Cook Political Report.

And while the midterms usually mean a host of victories for the opposition party, Democrats still face an uphill battle to win back hearts and minds after Mr Trump's victory last year.

Mr Rasoul says the two-party system in the US means that the Democratic Party is more akin to a "coalition" or "factions".

"It's clear that America is shifting and that my party is shifting at the grassroots level," he says. "And we just need to keep punching at the ceiling to ensure that the leadership continues to evolve."