Abraham Aiyash
2020 - Present
2022
0
Abraham Aiyash (Democratic Party) is a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 4. He assumed office on December 1, 2020. His current term ends on December 31, 2022.
Aiyash (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 4. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Aiyash also ran in a special election to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent District 4. He won in the special general election on November 3, 2020.
Aiyash completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Contents
Biography
Abraham Aiyash was born in Hamtramck, Michigan. He earned a bachelor's degree in political theory and Constitutional democracy from Michigan State University in 2016. His career experience includes working as the training and political leadership director of Michigan United, working for state Rep. Rose Mary Robinson (D), and working as a surrogate for Bernie Sanders during his 2020 Presidential campaign. Aiyash has served with Michigan United, the Sierra Club, One Hamtramck, the Yemeni American Political Action Committee, and People's Community Services.[1][2]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Aiyash was assigned to the following committees:
- Families, Children, and Seniors Committee
- Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Committee
- Communications and Technology Committee
Elections
2020
Regular election
See also: Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
Abraham Aiyash defeated Howard Weathington, Linda Rayburn, and MD Rabbi Alam in the general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Abraham Aiyash (D) |
89.7
|
27,263 |
|
|
Howard Weathington (R) |
5.7
|
1,736 | |
|
|
Linda Rayburn (Working Class Party) |
3.4
|
1,023 | |
|
|
MD Rabbi Alam (Independent) |
1.2
|
355 | |
|
|
Total votes: 30,377 |
Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Abraham Aiyash |
38.4
|
5,355 |
|
|
Michele Oberholtzer |
13.9
|
1,945 | |
|
|
Tawanna Simpson |
10.9
|
1,518 | |
|
|
Tonya Myers Phillips |
10.2
|
1,417 | |
|
|
Delorean Holmes |
7.2
|
1,002 | |
|
|
Shahab Ahmed |
6.0
|
834 | |
|
|
Christopher Collins |
4.7
|
655 | |
|
|
Frazier Kimpson |
3.7
|
515 | |
|
|
Abraham Shaw |
1.8
|
254 | |
|
|
Anthony Ali |
1.1
|
150 | |
|
|
Sigmunt Szczepkowski Jr. |
1.1
|
148 | |
|
|
Gregory Reyner |
0.7
|
97 | |
|
|
Darwood Navarro |
0.5
|
63 | |
|
|
Total votes: 13,953 |
Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
Howard Weathington advanced from the Republican primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Howard Weathington |
100.0
|
329 |
|
|
Total votes: 329 |
Working Class Party convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
Linda Rayburn advanced from the Working Class Party convention for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on July 26, 2020.
Candidate |
||
| ✔ |
|
Linda Rayburn (Working Class Party) |
|
|
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- MD Rabbi Alam (D)
- Christopher Wojtowicz (D)
- Corletta Vaughn (D)
- Saad Almasmari (D)
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Aiyash's endorsements in the 2020 election include:
- LEAP Forward[3]
To view Aiyash's endorsements, please click here.
Special election
See also: Michigan state legislative special elections, 2020
Special general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
Abraham Aiyash won election in the special general election for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Abraham Aiyash (D) |
100.0
|
28,379 |
|
|
Total votes: 28,379 |
Special Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4
The following candidates ran in the special Democratic primary for Michigan House of Representatives District 4 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Abraham Aiyash |
37.9
|
5,208 |
|
|
Michele Oberholtzer |
14.7
|
2,021 | |
|
|
Tawanna Simpson |
12.6
|
1,728 | |
|
|
Tonya Myers Phillips |
10.5
|
1,444 | |
|
|
Delorean Holmes |
7.8
|
1,070 | |
|
|
Shahab Ahmed |
6.2
|
852 | |
|
|
Christopher Collins |
5.4
|
739 | |
|
|
Abraham Shaw |
1.9
|
266 | |
|
|
Sigmunt Szczepkowski Jr. |
1.2
|
164 | |
|
|
Anthony Ali |
1.1
|
152 | |
|
|
Gregory Reyner |
0.7
|
103 | |
|
|
Total votes: 13,747 |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- MD Rabbi Alam (D)
- Christopher Wojtowicz (D)
- Corletta Vaughn (D)
2018
Special
A special election for the position of Michigan State Senate District 2 was called for November 6, 2018, with a primary scheduled for August 7, 2018. The filing deadline for this election was April 24, 2018.[4]
The seat became vacant following Bert Johnson's (D) resignation on March 2, 2018, after he pleaded guilty to theft.[5]
Candidate Adam Hollier defeated Abraham Aiyash, Brian Banks, George Cushingberry Jr., LaMar Lemmons, John Olumba, and Joe Ricci in the Democratic primary election.[6] Jeremy Henner withdrew from the race.[7]
General special election
Adam Hollier won election in the special general election for Michigan State Senate District 2 on November 6, 2018.
Special general election for Michigan State Senate District 2
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Adam Hollier (D) |
100.0
|
55,827 |
|
|
Total votes: 55,827 |
Democratic primary
The following candidates ran in the special Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Special Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 2
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Adam Hollier |
27.7
|
6,938 |
|
|
Abraham Aiyash |
23.0
|
5,766 | |
|
|
Brian Banks |
18.9
|
4,725 | |
|
|
LaMar Lemmons |
10.0
|
2,512 | |
|
|
Joe Ricci |
7.8
|
1,957 | |
|
|
John Olumba |
7.0
|
1,747 | |
|
|
George Cushingberry Jr. |
4.5
|
1,121 | |
|
|
Tommy Campbell |
1.1
|
265 | |
|
|
Total votes: 25,031 |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jeremy Henner (D)
Republican primary
General
- See also: Michigan State Senate elections, 2018
General election
Adam Hollier defeated Lisa Papas and Regina Williams in the general election for Michigan State Senate District 2 on November 6, 2018.
General election for Michigan State Senate District 2
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Adam Hollier (D) |
75.7
|
53,920 |
|
|
Lisa Papas (R) |
24.3
|
17,288 | |
| Other/Write-in votes |
0.0
|
1 | ||
|
|
Total votes: 71,209 |
Democratic primary election
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Democratic primary for Michigan State Senate District 2
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Adam Hollier |
25.2
|
6,938 |
|
|
Abraham Aiyash |
21.0
|
5,766 | |
|
|
Brian Banks |
17.2
|
4,725 | |
|
|
Regina Williams |
9.5
|
2,598 | |
|
|
LaMar Lemmons |
9.1
|
2,512 | |
|
|
John Olumba |
6.4
|
1,747 | |
|
|
George Cushingberry Jr. |
4.1
|
1,121 | |
|
|
Anam Miah |
3.4
|
931 | |
|
|
Lawrence Gannan |
2.0
|
555 | |
|
|
William Phillips |
1.2
|
328 | |
|
|
Tommy Campbell |
1.0
|
265 | |
|
|
Total votes: 27,486 |
Republican primary election
Lisa Papas defeated John Hauler in the Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 2 on August 7, 2018.
Republican primary for Michigan State Senate District 2
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Lisa Papas |
54.1
|
3,879 |
|
|
John Hauler |
45.9
|
3,289 | |
|
|
Total votes: 7,168 |
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Abraham Aiyash completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Aiyash's responses.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I was born and raised in Hamtramck as the son of Yemeni immigrants. I am the seventh of eight siblings, and I participated in grassroots and community organizing long before I ever thought about running for office. When I was only 18, I became a member of the Hamtramck Recycling Commission, the youngest member on any commission in the city. Later, I organized my community against US Ecology's attempt to move a toxic waste site to the Hamtramck-Detroit border. I've also co-founded a non-profit that promotes literacy in Hamtramck and Detroit, and I created a program that mentors refugees in my community. I also participated in on-campus politics at Michigan State University, where I studied political theory, constitutional democracy, and muslim studies. I have devoted my life to the service of others, and I am running for office with the hope of serving and empowering the people of my district.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Featured local question What’s the best approach for meeting Michigan’s roads and other infrastructure needs?
In my district, public transportation and roads are a big issue. I want to revise Michigan's road funding formula so that more money is designated to repairing roads with more traffic. Our city must also invest in a regional transit program that connects residents to other areas of the city in a streamlined, timely way. Increased public transit will have a positive effect on our roads and car insurance rates.
Featured local question What’s your one big idea for improving public schools?
My one big idea is overall education access. During this pandemic especially, students who are not able to attend online classes or have learning disabilities are encountering a lot of roadblocks. Every student should have the same access to resources in order to succeed, so I will push for home wifi for every student and universal pre-K. We must also increase per-pupil funding in public school and educator compensation.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I'm very passionate about public policy that seeks to build a more caring economy. To me, this means legislation that expands sick leave and childcare funding for families. It also means fighting to make sure that nursing homes are properly protected for subsequent COVID19 outbreaks and funding programs that protect against elder abuse. I'm also very passionate about policy involving racial justice. A huge part of my policy involves ending police brutality through establishing citizen oversight committees, thorough bias and de-escalation training for police, and introducing the Michigan Peace Act to prevent excessive use of force and keep track of misconduct so any officer with repeat misconduct can be fired immediately. I will also push for banning facial recognition technology, expunging criminal records for marijuana charges, and "ban the box" legislation.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like to be remembered as a champion of the people. My allegiance is not to corporations, other politicians, or the powers that be in Lansing. I never set out to be a career politician or eventually run for a higher office. All I want is to empower the people of my district and state so that they can have the full range of support and protections that they have been denied for so long.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I remember President Clinton's impeachment in 1998. I was four years old at the time. I wasn't quite sure what "impeached" meant but I knew that it wasn't good.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Letter to the Editor by Thievery Corporation
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
One of the our greatest challenges as a nation over the next few decades will be reckoning with a racist, violent past and undoing years of institutional legislation that supported it. COVID19 has only exacerbated the racial inequalities of Michigan. The criminal justice system needs to be drastically changed. The current system is designed to discriminate against minorities - particularly Black communities - and the disadvantaged. It also lacks the needed safeguards to protect communities from overreach by law enforcement into private lives.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Michigan scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2020, the Michigan State Legislature was in session from January 8 to December 31.
|
See also
2020 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Michigan House of Representatives District 4 |
Officeholder Michigan House of Representatives District 4 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 26, 2020
- ↑ Michigan House Democrats, "Meet Rep. Aiyash," accessed January 20, 2021
- ↑ LEAP Forward, "6. ENDORSEMENTS," accessed June 30, 2020
- ↑ U.S. News, "Election to Replace Convicted Michigan State Senator Set," March 12, 2018
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Convicted Michigan lawmaker Bert Johnson quits his Senate seat," March 2, 2018
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, "2018 Michigan Candidate Listing," accessed April 26, 2018
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, "2018 Michigan Election Results," accessed August 8, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Isaac Robinson (D) |
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