Qasim Rashid - Ballotpedia

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Qasim Rashid (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Illinois' 11th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 19, 2024.

Rashid completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Qasim Rashid was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. Rashid’s career experience includes working as a human rights lawyer.^[1]

Elections

2024

See also: Illinois' 11th Congressional District election, 2024

Illinois' 11th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Democratic primary)

Illinois' 11th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 19 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Illinois District 11

Incumbent Bill Foster defeated Jerry Evans and Anna Schiefelbein in the general election for U.S. House Illinois District 11 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Foster (D)	55.6	199,825
		Jerry Evans (R)	44.4	159,630
		Anna Schiefelbein (Independent) (Write-in)	0.1	229

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 359,684
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 11

Incumbent Bill Foster defeated Qasim Rashid in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Illinois District 11 on March 19, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Foster	76.6	35,159
		Qasim Rashid	23.4	10,754

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 45,913
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 11

Jerry Evans defeated Susan Hathaway-Altman and Kent Mercado in the Republican primary for U.S. House Illinois District 11 on March 19, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jerry Evans	50.7	17,814
		Susan Hathaway-Altman	37.1	13,032
		Kent Mercado	12.3	4,312

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,158
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Alec Martin (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Rashid in this election.

2020

See also: Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2020

Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Republican primary)

Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Virginia District 1

Incumbent Robert J. Wittman defeated Qasim Rashid in the general election for U.S. House Virginia District 1 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Robert J. Wittman (R)	58.1	260,614
		Qasim Rashid (D)	41.7	186,923
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	641

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 448,178
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Shawn Ponterio (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 1

Qasim Rashid defeated Vangie Williams in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 1 on June 23, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Qasim Rashid	52.5	21,625
		Vangie Williams	47.5	19,545

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 41,170
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Robert J. Wittman advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Virginia District 1.

2019

See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2019

General election

General election for Virginia State Senate District 28

Incumbent Richard Stuart defeated Qasim Rashid in the general election for Virginia State Senate District 28 on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Stuart (R)	57.5	40,193
		Qasim Rashid (D)	42.5	29,696
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	60

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 69,949
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Virginia State Senate District 28

Qasim Rashid defeated Laura Sellers in the Democratic primary for Virginia State Senate District 28 on June 11, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Qasim Rashid	59.1	3,302
	Submit photo	Laura Sellers	40.4	2,256
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	25

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,583
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Qasim Rashid completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rashid's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Qasim Rashid. I am a human rights lawyer and have dedicated my career to advocating for survivors of domestic violence, asylum seekers, and low-income communities. My family and I immigrated from Pakistan to the United States when I was five years old. During my childhood, I lived in Section 8 housing in DuPage County. My parents, both teachers, ingrained in

me a strong sense of duty to serve humanity and uphold justice. Today, I have three beautiful children with my wife of nearly 17 years, Ayesha. After nearly 15

years of representing marginalized communities as a lawyer, and dedicating my time and energy to humanitarian causes as a volunteer, I realized I needed to get to the source of our country's injustices: the policies and systems that serve the wealthy and powerful while leaving everyone else behind. I am driven to create a better future not only for my

children, but for all Americans, which is why I am running on a platform of economic, social, and climate justice for all.

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?

I will fight for economic, social, and climate justice for all. Economic justice means everyone has a strong foundation to build their lives on. Among other things, this includes a $17 federal minimum and tipped wage, cancelling student loan debt, debt free college and trade schools, and cracking down on union-busting companies. Social justice means I will fight for people of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds––no matter what. Finally, I will achieve climate justice by fighting for climate neutrality by 2030, investing in green infrastructure, raising taxes on oil companies' profits, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and rejecting new permits for oil drilling on federal land.
I stand for universal guaranteed healthcare. No family should go broke because they get sick. I know from firsthand experience advocating for my chronically ill daughter that affordable health insurance isn’t the same as affordable healthcare. No family with health insurance should face bankruptcy because of skyrocketing out-of-pocket expenses private insurers refuse to cover. In Congress, I will expand Medicare funding to offer enrollment to anyone who wants to join, prevent medical debt from being reported to credit agencies, allow Medicare to negotiate the cost of care and procedures, fight for 40 hours of paid sick leave, and ensure health insurance covers vision, dental, hearing, mental health, and reproductive care.
We need to get corporate money out of politics so that elected leaders are accountable to their constituents, not the companies lining their pockets. I am leading by example and am the only candidate in IL-11 rejecting all corporate and PAC money. In Congress, I will fight for the 96% of Democrats who want corporate money out of politics by supporting legislation to end Citizens United and prohibit companies from buying their way into the political process. I will also fight to close the revolving door between the government and lobbying firms, and implement campaign contribution limits for elected leaders contributing to their own campaigns because the wealthy don’t deserve more political influence than everyone else.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The two areas of public policy I am most passionate about are foreign policy, to increase our use of diplomatic measures to resolve international conflicts rather than wars that lead to the senseless deaths of civilians, and nutrition, to address the hunger
crisis in the US in which nearly 43 million families face food insecurity. In short, we need more food for children and families in the US and less war for children and families outside the US, and I will fight tirelessly to accomplish this.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

An effective Congressperson doesn't just show up to vote; they must consult with community leaders and experts in their district to identify the problems facing their constituents and work together to introduce meaningful policy that supports working people, not

exacerbates the systemic inequalities that benefit billion dollar companies and the well connected. Congresspeople represent their whole district, not just their supporters, so it's important to always vote for the shared interests of the district and to work together

to build consensus around shared values. Bipartisanship is important, but a strong leader builds consensus without compromising their values or the priorities of their district.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I began working at the age of 15 to help my family make ends meet, and my first union job was at a local Dominick's grocery store, UFCW 1546. I was a member of the cross country and track teams in high school, so once practice ended, I would head home and scarf down some food, then walked to the Dominick's just in time for my 6 pm shift. I would typically get done with work around 11 pm or 12 am, and make the 40 minute walk home. I had this job for around a year.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I am a firm believer in term limits for all elected officials.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

One of the most touching stories during this campaign came from a constituent I met in St. Charles, Illinois. This man was a PhD physicist who worked with my opponent Rep. Bill Foster for 20 years at Fermilab. He introduced himself very politely, and gently explained that he was a personal friend of Bill and was only at my meet and greet as a favor to a friend who invited him. Later in the evening, as I explained my stance on the climate crisis, and the fact that we cannot wait until 2050 to reach carbon neutrality as my opponent suggests, and instead, must fight for carbon neutrality by 2030, I could see this gentleman listen more attentively. He was even more attentive as I explained that my opponent Bill had accepted over $80k from Exxon, Exelon, and companies that heavily invest in fossil fuels. By the time I shared that Bill's reliance on fossil fuel money had impacted his voting record, which

includes supporting fracking, known for its environmentally disastrous impacts, and the junk science of carbon capture technology, I knew I had won him over. Soon after, he told me I had his full support and donated to our campaign. Him and his wife

have kindly agreed to host one of our upcoming meet and greet events. I am extremely grateful that our constituents want a Congress person who follows the science and recognizes the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I am a self-proclaimed dad joke aficionado, much to my wife and children's disapproval. Actually, they've been trying to convince me to adopt a special breed of dog that gets sad when you feed it cantaloupe…known as a Melon Collie.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Congress has the power to hold hearings to answer complex questions of academics, business leaders, and other experts. I firmly believe that one of Congress' core responsibilities is to use these powers to conduct meaningful oversight of industries and entities
that engage in behaviors threatening the safety, security, and wellbeing of the American public. For example, Congress has not held businesses sufficiently accountable for the ongoing price gouging and stock buybacks which make life harder for working families. Instead of accepting campaign donations from lobbyists and corporate groups, Congress must take a more proactive approach to investigating the organizations that use our broken campaign finance system to unduly influence our legislators.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Chicago Federation of Musicians, American Postal Workers Local 604/605, DuPage Progressive
Alliance, Common Defense, Gen Z for Change, Working Families Will County, Peace Action.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe elected officials should be fully transparent to their constituents. I often joke to my supports that you should do everything you can to get somebody you believe in elected, and then haunt their dreams to make sure they are upholding the promises they
made during the campaign. One way I ensure complete transparency and accountability is by rejecting all corporate and PAC donations. I am running a 100% people-funded campaign because who you take money from is who you are accountable to in office, and I intend to be 100% accountable to my constituents, not to special interests or billion-dollar corporations.

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.

Campaign website

Rashid’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Qasim believes our elected officials must work to ensure justice, opportunity, and equity to all Americans. He knows the struggle for working families across the district, because he lived that struggle growing up in a low income household. Qasim is committed to listening and acting upon the needs of local neighbors, experts, and activists to find collaborative solutions that will help overcome our collective obstacles.

And that’s where you come in!

Share with us the issues that you care most about, and let’s collaborate to find a solution. Email us at contact@qasimrashid.com and let’s work to uphold justice⁠⁠ —⁠⁠ together.

Combat the Climate Crisis
The Climate Crisis is real. It is caused by human activity and fossil fuels. And it is the most pressing threat to the planet and all her residents. Here in the 11th district, we are particularly susceptible to longer, more frequent periods of drought, as well as more severe storms and flooding. To adequately address climate change, Qasim believes that we need to immediately invest in meaningful climate change solutions and mitigation, train the next generation of Green workers, and ensure environmental justice for the communities on the front lines of climate change. Qasim will:

Lead by example and not take a penny of campaign funding from the fossil fuel companies that caused the climate crisis.
Build on the record investments in green energy that President Biden championed in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Invest in clean energy and infrastructure development in construction and transportation to get the United States to carbon neutral by 2030.
End fossil fuel subsidies and increase the tax rate on oil company profits to fund community cleanup initiatives in Black and Latino neighborhoods.
Immediately end fracking and the debunked science of ‘carbon capture.’
Stop issuing new permits and leases for oil drilling on federal land, and immediately retire unused permits.
Invest in climate and ecosystem resiliency and mitigation projects to harden infrastructure and homes against future climate disasters like fires, hurricanes, and flooding.

Disability Rights
With almost 50 million Americans identifying as disabled, people with disabilities form the largest minority group in the United States. Disability isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience; anyone can become disabled at any point in their lives. The disability community is diverse, consisting of individuals from various races, socioeconomic backgrounds, and ages. Despite being protected by the same laws, disabled folks encounter different challenges. Qasim acknowledges that current laws prioritize equality over equity. To bridge existing gaps and uplift disabled individuals facing multiple layers of marginalization, Qasim will:

Increase asset caps for SSI benefit recipients with the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act.
Support the Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act to allow disabled people to marry without risk of losing benefits.
Strengthen community-based funding infrastructure for disabled people who rely on community funds to afford assistive technologies.
Clearly define universities’ mandatory compliance with “reasonable accommodations” under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504, ensuring disabled students never face barriers to living a fully supported and comfortable life on campus.
Advocate for expanding the Americans with Disabilities Act to safeguard a broader range of classes, recognizing that disability spans all races, sexual orientations, religions, economic statuses, and national origins.
Encourage states to provide less restrictive options than conservatorships and encourage self-determination.
Implement programs that improve job prospects for disabled veterans, including vocational rehabilitation and incentives for businesses to hire veterans with disabilities.
Increase accessibility to pro-bono legal services for disabled individuals facing financial barriers in upholding their rights.
Introduce legislation in the House to incorporate transition planning in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students navigating big changes, such as moving from elementary to middle school or from high school to the workforce.
Introduce federal policy to override state laws that allow employers to pay people with disabilities under the minimum wage and support transition programs to fully integrated workplaces.
Provide federal funding for training to ensure that first responders are trained on how to work with disabled people experiencing behavioral or mental health crises.
Back the Disability Access to Transportation Act to address ongoing discrimination and limited transportation options for individuals with disabilities.
Support the Housing Fairness Act of 2023 which would monitor and minimize discrimination against renters, homebuyers, or borrowers irrespective of their race, religion, sex, family situation, disability status, or national origin.
Improve enforcement of the Help America Vote Act to ensure disabled Americans have equal access to the polls.

Economic Opportunity
Growing up in a working family and immigrant household, Qasim learned about the importance of hard work at a young age. He got his first job at a union Dominick’s at just 15 years old, while a student at Glenbard South. And he’s been working ever since. Qasim grew up in Section 8 housing, and public welfare programs provided him the foothold he needed to take his first steps into his eventual legal career. Since then, prices have gone up on everything from education to food to housing, but wages remain stagnant and it’s harder than ever for working families to get a leg up. Under our current system, wealth and income inequality is worse now than it was during Qasim’s childhood. Qasim is a firm believer in economic justice and that everyone should have a strong foundation to build their lives on. Qasim will:

Invest in career building and small businesses:

Fight for debt free college and trade schools so that people can get the training they need to build their careers.
Break up monopolies and anti-competitive industries to spur competition, innovation, and lower prices.
Crack down on companies who have been price gouging working families on everything from food to cars.

Protect workers rights:

Pass the PRO act to support working people’s right to unionize and advocate for fair wages and benefits.
Support a $17 federal minimum and tipped wage.
Deliver federally mandated paid sick and parental leave.
Crack down on union busting.

Hold Billionaire corporations accountable:

Get corporate money out of politics to restore political power to working people.
Penalize big companies like Walmart that pay their workers poverty wages and rely on corporate welfare to subsidize their payroll.
Stop stock buybacks so that companies invest in their workers and infrastructure.

End the Opioid Epidemic
Addiction is a disease, and greedy pharmaceutical companies and the lack of Congressional oversight exacerbate it. The opioid epidemic has been a growing problem for decades, but the last 10 years have seen fatal opioid overdoses triple to more than 3000 per year in Illinois. Pharmaceutical companies lined their pockets by pushing unnecessary painkillers on families across the district while pharmacies made millions by filling bad prescriptions. It’s time we start punishing the bad actors, not the people who are battling addiction.

Qasim will:

Not take any money from healthcare or pharmaceutical companies, because he stands with the victims of this crisis, not its enablers.
Treat addiction like the disease it is and invest in treatment and rehabilitation centers instead of punishing the people battling addiction with prison sentences.
Decriminalize possession of non-commercial quantities of heroin and fentanyl and refer those facing addiction to treatment centers.
Fund supervised injection sites.
Pierce the corporate veil to hold the executives of big pharma financially and personally accountable for opioid overprescription, addiction, and death, so that billionaire corporations like Purdue and Walgreens face meaningful accountability for enabling the opioid crisis, not walk away by paying a fine.
Tax opioid companies like tobacco companies to fund addiction treatment and rehabilitation centers.
Provide additional funding for Narcan/Naloxone for first responders and drug treatment centers nationwide.

Get Corporate Money Out of Politics
Qasim is the only candidate in this race who fully rejects corporate campaign contributions. He stands with the 96% of Democratic voters who believe that we need to overturn Citizens United and get corporate money out of politics. Qasim believes that a Congressperson should only be accountable to their constituents. Unlike others who say they want to end Citizens United but still take corporate money, Qasim walks the walk and refuses to accept a penny from corporate donors. Qasim will:

Support legislation to end Citizens United and prohibit companies from buying their way into the political process.
End the revolving door between the Federal Government and lobbying firms.
Limit candidates self funding their own campaigns and implement the same campaign contribution limits that everyone else has to abide by, because the wealthy don’t deserve more political influence than everyone else.

Guaranteed Healthcare
No family should go broke because they get sick. Qasim understands that access to affordable health insurance isn’t the same as access to affordable healthcare: no family with health insurance should face bankruptcy because of skyrocketing out-of-pocket expenses that private insurers refuse to cover.

Right now:

Our country is the only developed nation that doesn’t guarantee public healthcare.
More than 68,000 Americans die annually waiting for healthcare, and another 500,000 go bankrupt every year.
Private insurers are allowed to keep 20% of all premiums for administrative fees and overhead, while our current Medicare system provides equal or better healthcare while operating at just 2-3% overhead.
Our Medicare system delivers healthcare to roughly 20% of the country.
Insurance companies come between Americans and their Doctors and deny treatment that isn’t profitable.

We can save residents money, achieve better health outcomes and life expectancy, and reduce infant and maternal mortality by bringing Medicare to everyone who wants to join. Qasim will:

Expand Medicare funding to offer enrollment to anyone who wants to join.
Prevent medical debt from being reported to credit agencies.
Allow medicare to negotiate the cost of care and procedures, not just prescription drugs.
Get rid of enrollment periods so that families don’t have to wait to sign up for the coverage they need.
Cap the interest rate on medical debt.
Fight for 40 hours of paid sick leave nationwide
Make sure that health insurance covers vision, dental, hearing, mental health, and reproductive care.

Gun Safety
Gun violence and mass shootings are the number one cause of death for children and teens. As someone who has lost a loved one to gun violence, and as a father who wants to keep his and all children safe, this is a particularly personal issue for Qasim. Qasim will work with activists and academics to pass immediate and meaningful legislation to end our country’s gun violence epidemic. Qasim will:

Implement universal background checks and a seven day waiting period for all gun purchases.
Ban and create a buyback program for automatic firearms, military style semi-automatic firearms, 3D printed “ghost” guns, bump stocks, and high capacity magazines.
Close the Charleston loophole to prevent the sale of firearms when a background check is not completed within three days.
Close the Boyfriend Loophole to keep guns away from domestic abusers.
Implement a seven day waiting period for all gun purchases.
Create a national Red Flag Law to limit access to firearms for those deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.
Hold gun owners responsible for crimes committed with their stolen or missing firearms if they don’t report them to law enforcement within 72 hours.
Build a nationwide framework for safe storage of firearms in the home when children are present.

Human Rights for All
As a human rights lawyer and candidate for US Congress, Qasim recognizes the ongoing struggle for equality faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. The slow pace of progress, exemplified by the much-overdo repeal of discriminatory policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the legalization of same-sex marriage, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive legislative action to safeguard LGBTQ+ rights. The recent extension of Civil Rights Act protections by the Supreme Court was a step in the right direction, but it is clear that further measures are necessary to combat discrimination and ensure full equality under the law. The alarming proliferation of anti-LGBTQ bills highlights the critical importance of proactive policy initiatives to address systemic challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, including mental health disparities, over-policing, inadequate healthcare, and homelessness. As a member of Congress, Qasim will champion legislation that advances LGBTQ+ rights, promotes inclusivity, and dismantles systemic barriers to equality for all Americans.

Because Qasim believes that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights, he will:

Fight to ensure all civil rights protections are applied equally to gender identity and sexuality as they are to race and other protected classes
Address the heightened discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people of color, including disparities in healthcare, housing, and income by advocating for their increased representation in healthcare settings, housing initiatives, and decision-making positions.
Advocate for guaranteed access to gender-affirming healthcare services.
Oppose legislation which attacks transgender individuals’ ability to participate in sports or imposes invasive genital exams on anyone, especially minors.
Protect LGBTQ refugees and immigrants from systemic discrimination by implementing inclusive asylum policies.
Prioritize access to mental health resources for the LGBTQ+ community, recognizing the elevated risk of mental health conditions among its members.
Launch initiatives aimed at reducing LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, who are now 120% more likely to experience homelessness.
Reform law enforcement practices that disproportionately over-police the LGBTQIA community.
Introduce legislation to integrate cultural competency training in medical schools, ensuring that healthcare providers are aware of and sensitive to the unique needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. This includes addressing discriminatory practices reported by 24% of queer people of color.
Propose and support legislation to strengthen the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system.

Immigration Justice
Qasim and his family immigrated from Pakistan in 1987, and moved to DuPage county in 1988, when he was just five years old. He understands that our immigration system is broken by design and selectively discriminates against BIPOC migrants and refugees. Qasim believes that immigrants are the backbone of our country, and that’s why he has fought tirelessly throughout his career as a human rights lawyer for an immigration policy based on compassion and justice. Not only has he called out the inhumane treatment of migrants that occurred during the Trump administration, but he’s kept up the pressure during the Biden administration – because human rights are non-negotiable. Qasim will:

Fully fund USCIS to meet the demand of American families seeking to ensure their loved ones can immigrate to the United States safely, quickly, and in a documented manner.
Fight to fully fund immigration lawyers and judges on the Southern Border so that asylum seekers and refugees can have their day in court.
End Title 42 to prevent future administrations from weaponizing public health policy to exclude lawful asylum seekers from entering the United States.
End Donald Trump’s family detention policy.
Repeal 287-G and prevent ICE from working with and deputizing local police departments for federal immigration enforcement.
Deliver a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and their families and support DACA and DAPA recipients.
Fund fully independent oversight and investigations into allegations of sexual assault and abuse of migrants by ICE.

International Human Rights Law
Qasim believes international human rights law must be upheld unconditionally, for all people. He has advocated for peace and condemned human rights violations, both in the US and abroad, throughout his career as a human rights lawyer and advocate. From raising funds for victims of the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar to demanding an end to the bombing of Yemen, and now demanding a ceasefire to the Israel-Hamas war that has killed over 27,478 Palestinians and 1,139 Israelis, Qasim stands for justice whether or not it is politically convenient.

In response to the tragic deaths of civilians in Israel and Palestine, Qasim supports:

An immediate ceasefire in Gaza
The unconditional release of all Israeli and Palestinian hostages and political prisoners
An end to the illegal military occupation and settlements in Palestine
Palestinians’ right of return

Qasim firmly believes the US must continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion and attack on Ukrainian civilians. This commitment is anchored in historical agreements. In 1996, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the international community’s commitment to protect them. Qasim’s support of Ukraine also aligns with his broader objective of safeguarding our European allies by preventing escalation into a full-scale war. Beyond geopolitical considerations, there is also a moral imperative. The lives of Ukrainian and American civilians are directly threatened by the escalating conflict. By containing the conflict, the US upholds its commitment to protecting innocent lives.

Qasim will also fight to uphold and strengthen domestic and international human rights law:

The Leahy Laws: These laws prohibit the US State Dept and the US DOD from providing military assistance to foreign governments suspected of violating human rights laws.

Demand its enforcement during hearings on foreign military assistance.
Work with relevant committees to assess the impact of the US’s military assistance on recipient countries’ human rights.
Propose and support legislation to strengthen Leahy Laws and address any loopholes in its current implementation.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the “International Bill of Human Rights”: These international documents and treaties adopted by the United Nations General Assembly outline fundamental freedoms and rights entitled to all humans.

Support foreign aid and international programs that promote human rights and democratic values.
Engage in Congressional oversight to ensure the State Department upholds its commitment to protect international human rights.
Push for the US to ratify other human rights documents, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The Geneva Convention and Rome Statute: This group of international laws and treaties ensures civilians are protected during armed conflict and gives the International Criminal Court the power to prosecute war crimes and genocide, among other grave international crimes.

Advocate for international cooperation and diplomatic efforts to support peaceful conflict resolution through the International Criminal Court.
Collaborate with colleagues and international allies to uphold the Geneva Convention and Rome Statutes and respond to any reported violations.

Protect Reproductive Rights
The Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision revealed just how fragile reproductive rights were under Roe v. Wade. Qasim has spent his career fighting for women’s rights, and currently works with nonprofits working to expand reproductive health access nationally. Illinois may have legal protections in place, but an increasing number of Republican controlled states are successfully stripping away reproductive rights. This also disproportionately punishes Black and brown women, who suffer higher maternal mortality rates as well as those too poor to travel to other states for reproductive care. Qasim believes that access to abortion and bodily autonomy is a human right, and he will fight to restore and expand protections for these rights nationally. Specifically, Qasim will:

Support the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, which would immediately overturn abortion bans nationwide.
Fight for federal data privacy legislation to prevent Big Tech from sharing private health information with law enforcement who seek to prevent people from crossing state lines to access reproductive healthcare.
Sign the Right to Contraception Act to preempt states from banning certain forms of contraception and family planning.^[2]

”

—Qasim Rashid’s campaign website (2024)^[3]

2020

Qasim Rashid completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rashid's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Qasim is an immigrant, a proud American Muslim, and a devoted father and husband. He earned his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law in Virginia. His work includes combating domestic and sexual violence against women and advocating for children's education.

Qasim channels his passion to serve the marginalized by working with non-profit organizations that advance women's rights, improve water, food, shelter, healthcare, and education access for children living in poverty, and fight to protect religious freedom for all people. Qasim has written numerous books and worked with the US Government to improve national security here at home, while upholding the United States Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

Qasim also works as a consultant to help major organizations, small businesses, and non-profits improve their corporate strategies, messaging, and innovation. He loves interfaith dialogue, running marathons, reading, and spending time with his wife and children. Qasim and his family His wife, Ayesha, is a small business owner and volunteers with interfaith outreach in the community. Together, they have three beautiful children, live in Stafford and attend worship services at the Masroor Mosque in Manassas.

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?

Compassion through action will unite communities, instill a sense of belonging, and help us mobilize against the big issues that VA-01's working families are facing.
Serving working families.
Providing leadership in Virginia's 1st District.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Achieving good, quality health care for everyone, securing good paying jobs that strengthen working families, uplifting rural areas, and protecting our environment.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad is a champion of universal human rights and leads by example. His work in developing nations has served millions of people. For example he was the first person in Ghanaian history to successfully grow wheat in Ghanaian soil. He's a peacemaker, successfully launching the bi-partisan Ahmadiyya Religious Freedom Caucus in US Congress-the first bi-partisan religious freedom caucus in US History. In 2012 the US Congress unanimously passed H.Res.1125 - Welcoming His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide spiritual head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, to the United States, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC, and recognizing his commitment to world peace, absolute justice, global unity among nations, nonviolence, rejection of extremism, nuclear disarmament, elimination of weapon profiteering, eradication of poverty, economic equity, service to humanity, universal human rights, international religious freedom, and democracy.

I aspire to follow that example of bringing Americans together for the sake of the aforementioned critical tenets of peace, justice, and democracy.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

While no single book captures my world view, the books I can recommend focus on protecting fairness and justice for all members of society. In no particular order these books include Winners Take All, The New Jim Crow, Confessions of an Economic Hitman, Stamped from the Beginning, and Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty and a commitment to justice in all matters. If public servants protect these to principles, then government will work and our nation's promise of pursuing a more perfect union will continue to blossom.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I've served the marginalized by working with non-profit organizations that advance women's rights, improve water, food, shelter, healthcare, and education access for children living in poverty, and fight to protect religious freedom for all people. I've also written numerous books and worked with the US Government to improve national security here at home-along with my work as a consultant to help major organizations, small businesses, and non-profits improve their corporate strategies, messaging, and innovation. This holistic experience has provided me with the tools and skill-set to be a successful officeholder that effectively advocates for my constituents.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Ensure at a minimum every person has access to food, water, shelter, clothing, education, and healthcare.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Muhammad Ali once said "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth." I hope my legacy is of someone who paid his rent in full.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

While I have flashes of childhood in Pakistan, the first major life event with a lasting impact I remember is migrating to the United States. I remember the flight, the arrival in New York, and moving into our home in the DMV area. I was 4 at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I was 15 I worked as a deli clerk for a local Unionized grocery store. I started during summer break and worked during the school year, after class and on weekends.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The "My Teacher Is An Alien" 4 book series. There's a moment in the series where the main character, a super intelligent alien named Broxholm, shares how much it pains him that humans mistreat teachers, when teaching is the single most important profession in the world. The main character, Peter, has an awakening where he realizes that teaching is in fact the most important profession in the world. My parents are teachers, as was my grandfather. That was a paradigm shifting moment for me as well, and makes me reflect often on the critical need to invest in education, support our teachers, and ensure the next generation of our nation has every opportunity possible to succeed.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Logan Howlett

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I struggle with the fact that 43 million Americans are in poverty and we aren't doing enough as a society to lift them up. I constantly reflect on what more I can do to support my neighbors of all faiths and backgrounds, and feel that I need to do more. I generally control my anger but when I see needless, preventable suffering like poverty, while so few have so many, it truly does enrage me-however I channel that rage into fueling my work as a human rights lawyer and now in this run for Congress.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

As a co-equal branch, the U.S. House of Representatives has a unique ability to shift our federal policy priorities and address the urgent challenges that this nation faces. Electing the right Representative can effect substantive change in the lives of a district's working families.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Given that I believe members of Congress are public servants, or should aspire to be, I believe it is beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in public service. To that end, while I have worked with various government organizations and departments throughout the last decade, my main contribution is my work as a human rights lawyer serving those who are struggling and marginalized by unjust actions or systems. My run for Congress is to transform my advocacy as a human rights lawyer into policy as a public servant.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Wealth and income inequality is at 70 years highs, and worsening every day. Today, 43 million Americans live in poverty and 260 million Americans live paycheck to paycheck. This is an unsustainable model and needs reform if we are going to continue to grow into the more perfect union our founding fathers envisioned.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, Education and Labor

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes, provided we reform our campaign finance to eliminate corporate PAC funding, and return to publicly funded grass roots funded elections. Our Constitution says "We the People," not we the corporations, and our elections should reflect that.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I see value in term limits provided we reform our campaign finance to eliminate corporate and untraceable money. Otherwise term limits, while still desirable, won't have the intended impact of ensuring power stays with people instead of corporations.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Republican Congressman Robert Smalls (1839-1915), Democratic Congresswoman Shirley Chisolm (1924-2005), and Democratic Congressman John Dingell (1926-2019).

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

While knocking doors in a lower income community I met an elderly woman, caucasian, who lived in a trailer park with her daughter and four grandchildren. They told me they'd lived in this community for 15 years and never once had any person seeking office bothered to knock on their doors. When I asked what was most important to them, they responded healthcare and a living wage. "We just want basic dignity. How are we supposed to live off $7.25/hour and raise a family," she said to me. "How are we supposed to raise a family without basic healthcare? We all get sick. We all have health issues. Why do we have expensive health insurance and not guaranteed health coverage with the taxes we pay?" I assured her that I believe healthcare is a human right and a living wage is a foundational promise that those elected to serve the public must fulfill. I think about her, her daughter, and her four grandchildren often. We cannot continue to run a government that serves the wealthy while ignoring the middle class and lower income class. If we cannot uplift the least of us, we are failing all of us.

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2019

Qasim Rashid did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Qasim Rashid campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Illinois District 11	Lost primary	$1,000,614	$1,001,489
2020	U.S. House Virginia District 1	Lost general	$1,592,853	$1,592,853
2019	Virginia State Senate District 28	Lost general	$390,508	N/A**
Grand total			$2,983,975	$2,594,341
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also

External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Illinois District 11

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 29, 2020
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Qasim for Congress, IL-11, “Issues,” accessed February 21, 2024

Illinois' current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tammy Duckworth (D)

Dick Durbin (D)

Representatives

District 1

Jonathan Jackson (D)

District 2

Robin Kelly (D)

District 3

Delia Ramirez (D)

District 4

Jesus Garcia (D)

District 5

Mike Quigley (D)

District 6

Sean Casten (D)

District 7

Danny Davis (D)

District 8

Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

District 9

Jan Schakowsky (D)

District 10

Brad Schneider (D)

District 11

Bill Foster (D)

District 12

Mike Bost (R)

District 13

Nikki Budzinski (D)

District 14

Lauren Underwood (D)

District 15

Mary Miller (R)

District 16

Darin LaHood (R)

District 17

Eric Sorensen (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (3)

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