Somali Democrat Runs In Utah’s Brand New Deep Blue House Seat

Liban Mohamed, a Utah Democrat of Somali descent, jumped into a packed race for the state’s 1st Congressional District on Monday.

Mohamed, 27, declared his candidacy in a post to X, mentioning his Somali immigrant parents and declaring that his “story is rooted in Utah.” His announcement comes after a Utah judge tossed out a GOP-drawn congressional map in November 2025 that would have helped Republicans secure control of all four of the state’s congressional districts.

Mohamed’s campaign did not respond to a Daily Caller News Foundation request for comment.

Mohamed is also black and Muslim, The Salt Lake Tribune made a point of emphasizing Monday. He told the Tribune in an interview that he thinks Utah’s newly drawn U.S. House district “is a beautiful opportunity and a new chapter for the state of Utah.”

“This is the moment that we really need to focus on finding a leader that’s unique and a leader that reflects the perspectives, energy and hope that this community has,” Mohamed continued. “I think I can be that person that comes to the table and galvanizes that energy from all the different folks who typically don’t get involved, but now they will.”

Other Democratic candidates in the race for Utah’s 1st Congressional District include Salt Lake City Council member Eva Lopez Chavez, state Sen. Kathleen Riebe, former Salt Lake County Mayor and Rep. Ben McAdams, state Sen. Nate Blouin and former Salt Lake City Council member and state Sen. Derek Kitchen, the Tribune reported. So far, no GOP candidates have declared their candidacy for the state’s 1st congressional district seat, according to the outlet.

Mohamed touted his ability to “bring people into the process that nobody else does,” the Tribune reported.

“What I will bring to the table is depth of support,” he told the Tribune. “I’m very confident in my ability to resonate with the community. And more so, I’m very confident in my ability to run on a platform that is helpful to people and that people will want to rally around and champion [in order to] see a representative that fights for them.”

The Democrat has promised to protect America’s immigrant communities and help restore the “American Promise” if he is elected to Congress, according to his campaign website. His website also mentions that he previously served on TikTok’s public policy team, where he “managed the company’s response to political investigations.”

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump suggested in early December 2025 that he doesn’t approve of Somali immigrants in the U.S., saying they should “go back to where they came from” and that “their country is no good for a reason,” BBC News reported. Trump added that “I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” per the outlet.

Additionally, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s administration has recently faced national backlash over allegations of fraud relating to predominantly Somali-run operations in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. Walz abruptly ended his reelection bid on Monday amid the ongoing fraud scandal.