Washington, DC – The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization serving the interests of Iranian Americans, congratulates Oklahoma State Senator Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-FL), New York State Senator Anna Kaplan (D-NY), Phoenix’s City Council candidate Yassamin Ansari, and San Francisco Board Supervisor Ahsha Safaí for their successes in the 2020 election – a truly historic moment for the Iranian American community.

Bice made history by becoming the first Iranian American elected to Congress, and the highest-ranking Iranian American in the U.S. government. Eskamani and Kaplan have both won their bids for reelection. In 2018, both women made history by becoming the first Iranian Americans elected to their state’s legislatures. Ansari finished first place in her race for Phoenix’s City Council and will head into a run-off election against the second-place winner.

In Utah, preliminary election results also show that Salt Lake City Councilwoman Shireen Ghorbani (D-UT) is leading in her bid for reelection, and in California, Sepi Shyne is ahead in her race for West Hollywood City Council.

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