Adam Hamawy, a surgeon who previously volunteered in the Gaza Strip, won a seat in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday, defeating Republican Gregg Mele in New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. The Associated Press called the race for Hamawy at 8:26 p.m. Eastern Time. At the time, he had secured 70.8% of the vote, with 80% of ballots counted. With his victory, Hamawy becomes the first Muslim elected to Congress from New Jersey. Hamawy was among 12 active candidates who competed in the crowded Democratic primary to succeed liberal Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, who is retiring after 12 years in office. A 13th candidate remained on the primary ballot despite withdrawing from the race. The former US Army combat surgeon comfortably defeated Mele, an attorney, to succeed the Democratic congresswoman. The result came as little surprise. Watson Coleman, an influential progressive voice in the House, won reelection in 2024 by a margin of nearly 25 percentage points. Hamawy's victory keeps the reliably Democratic seat in the party's hands, according to The Hill. Earlier this year, Hamawy secured the Democratic nomination after emerging from a competitive primary field. Early Life and Humanitarian Work Hamawy grew up in New Jersey after his family emigrated from Egypt when he was an infant. He attended Rutgers University and its medical school before later earning a Master of Business Administration degree from the same university. After completing his military service, he returned to New Jersey and established a private plastic surgery practice in Princeton. According to his campaign website, Hamawy has also volunteered to treat patients in Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Jordan, Turkey, Bosnia, Haiti, Belize and Colombia. He served eight years as a surgeon in the US Army, including a nine-month deployment with the 31st Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad during the Iraq War. His Journey to Gaza Hamawy, who lives in South Brunswick and operates a plastic surgery practice in Princeton, entered the congressional race as a political newcomer. His campaign quickly gained momentum amid growing frustration among progressives over Israel and its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hamawy came to national attention in 2024 when he was among a group of doctors stranded in Gaza after Israel closed the Rafah border crossing. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, who credits Hamawy with saving her life after her helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004, intervened to help secure his departure from Gaza along with that of other medical workers. Duckworth's intervention was widely viewed as an opportunity to repay the surgeon who had helped save her life, according to The Hill. Hamawy's volunteer work at a Gaza hospital during the war helped strengthen support for his candidacy. He also received endorsements from prominent progressive figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna, according to Politico. Opposition to War New Jersey is home to a substantial Arab American community of approximately 179,000 people. The Egyptian American population, in particular, has grown rapidly. Hamawy's congressional district includes approximately 11,000 residents of Arab descent, according to data from the Arab American Institute. In a video posted on his official X account, Hamawy urged voters to support his campaign, saying: "Do you want to make Trump mad? Return your mail-in ballot today." Hamawy has called for an end to US military aid to Israel. More broadly, he has expressed opposition to providing American military assistance to countries that commit human rights violations. In a May interview with the New Jersey Monitor, Hamawy opposed the ongoing war against Iran, describing it as "an illegal and immoral war" that needed to end. He also accused the United States of catering to the special interests of defense contractors and warmongers, as well as organizations such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Israel's own special interests. On domestic policy, Hamawy has advocated expanding access to healthcare, increasing funding for public schools and reducing costs for working-class families. The Democrats are poised to take control of Congress following the midterm elections, having secured majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, turning Tuesday's vote into a stinging defeat for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.
