Four Nigerian-Americans Win US Midterm Elections Across Four States
Four Nigerian-Americans have secured electoral victories in the November 3, 2026, United States midterm elections, winning positions in local government and state legislatures.
The winners are Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem, who recorded victories in Maryland, Texas, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, the outcome of another Nigerian-American candidate, Segun Adeyina, remained undecided in Georgia as vote counting continued on Wednesday.
Will Jawando Wins Montgomery County Executive Race
In Maryland, Democratic candidate Will Jawando won the race for Montgomery County executive, defeating Republican challenger Esther Wells.
Results published by NBC Washington showed Jawando securing 237,383 votes, representing 78.15 per cent, against Wells, who received 66,383 votes, or 21.85 per cent. At the time of the report, 72 per cent of the expected votes had been counted.
Jawando, who previously served on the Montgomery County Council, is the son of a Nigerian father and an American mother. His Nigerian heritage and political career have also featured in reports by American media outlets.
Junior Ezeonu Elected to Texas State House
In Texas, 27-year-old Junior Ezeonu secured a seat in the State House of Representatives, representing District 101.
He had defeated incumbent Chris Turner in the Democratic primary. No Republican candidate entered the general election race, leaving Ezeonu as the only candidate on the November ballot.
According to his campaign biography, Ezeonu was born in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria, and moved to Texas when he was two years old.
He entered local politics in 2021 after winning election to the Grand Prairie City Council. He later became the city’s youngest mayor pro tempore.
Oye Owolewa Wins Washington, DC Council Seat
In Washington, DC, Democratic candidate Oye Owolewa won an at-large seat on the District of Columbia Council.
Local publication The 51st reported that Owolewa received 69 per cent of the vote, defeating independent candidate Elissa Silverman, who secured 21 per cent.
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Owolewa, a pharmacist and son of Nigerian immigrants from Kwara and Osun states, previously served as the District’s elected shadow representative.
The shadow representative position allows its holder to advocate for Washington, DC, statehood, although it does not provide voting rights in the US Congress.
Carol Kazeem Retains Pennsylvania House Seat
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmaker Carol Kazeem retained her seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
She represents District 159 and was among the Nigerian-Americans who secured victories in the midterm elections.
In Georgia, however, Segun Adeyina’s electoral contest had not been decided as of Wednesday, with officials still counting votes.
The victories highlight the growing participation of Nigerian-Americans in political leadership across different levels of government in the United States.
