Four Nigerian-Americans have won elections to various political offices in the United States, while a fifth was leading in a closely watched race in Georgia, following the November 3 midterm elections.
The victories, recorded in Maryland, Texas, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania, highlight the growing political participation and representation of Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans in American politics.
The winners include Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem, who secured positions in county and state legislatures, as well as the District of Columbia Council.
Another Nigerian-born politician, Segun Adeyina, was leading in his bid to retain his seat in the Georgia State House of Representatives, although the race had yet to be called as vote counting continued.
Jawando Wins Maryland County Executive Race
In Maryland, Democrat Will Jawando defeated Republican Esther Wells to become the next executive of Montgomery County.
Jawando, the son of a Nigerian father and an American mother, previously served as an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council, having first been elected in 2018.
Unofficial results reported by Moderately MOCO showed Jawando securing 195,872 votes, representing 78.66 per cent, against Wells’s 52,141 votes, or 20.94 per cent, as of late Tuesday.
He will succeed outgoing county executive Marc Elrich, who is leaving office after serving two terms.
Ezeonu Wins Texas State House Seat
In Texas, 27-year-old Democrat Junior Ezeonu won the race for District 101 in the state’s House of Representatives.
Ezeonu, who was born in Onitsha, Anambra State, moved to Texas with his family when he was two years old.
He defeated incumbent Chris Turner in the Democratic primary election in March 2026 and subsequently emerged as the only candidate in the November general election after no Republican entered the race.
Results published by the Texas election results tracker showed Ezeonu securing 37,278 votes in the uncontested race.
Before his election to the state legislature, Ezeonu served on the Grand Prairie City Council, having been elected in 2021. He later became the city’s youngest mayor pro tempore.
Owolewa Wins Washington DC Council Seat
In Washington, DC, Democrat Oye Owolewa won an at-large seat on the District of Columbia Council. Owolewa, a pharmacist, is the son of Nigerian immigrants from Kwara and Osun states.
He previously served as the district’s elected shadow representative, a position created to advocate for Washington, DC’s statehood and full representation in the US Congress.
Although shadow representatives do not have voting rights in Congress, they play an advocacy role in the district’s campaign for greater political representation.
His latest victory further extends his involvement in the district’s political affairs.
Kazeem Retains Pennsylvania Legislative Seat
In Pennsylvania, Democrat Carol Kazeem retained her seat representing District 159 in the state’s House of Representatives. Kazeem defeated Republican challenger Mike Bannon in the election, according to preliminary results.
The results showed Kazeem polling 12,801 votes against Bannon’s 4,109.
She was among eight Nigerian-Americans who secured legislative seats during the 2022 US midterm elections.
Her re-election marks another victory for the Nigerian-American community’s representation in state-level politics.
Adeyina Leads in Georgia
Meanwhile, Nigerian-born Democrat Segun Adeyina was leading Republican Charles Lollar in the race for Georgia’s House of Representatives District 110.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s election tracker, Adeyina had secured 1,353 votes against Lollar’s 689, representing 66 per cent and 34 per cent respectively, with eight per cent of the estimated votes counted at the time of the update.
Adeyina, who represents parts of Gwinnett County, was first elected to the Georgia State House in 2022.
His legislative profile identifies him as the executive director of the Nigerian American Public Advisory Committee, an organisation involved in voter education and registration among immigrant communities.
Although the race had not been officially called at the time of the update, subsequent election tracking listed Adeyina as the winner.
Significance of the US Midterm Elections
The November 3 elections were held halfway through President Donald Trump’s four-year presidential term and were widely regarded as a referendum on his administration’s policies and political influence.
The midterms determine the composition of the US Congress, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as several state legislatures, governorships and local government positions.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats were contested in the 2026 elections, alongside several governorships and other state and local offices.
Beyond determining political control in Washington, the elections provided an opportunity for immigrant communities, including Nigerians living in the United States, to strengthen their representation in the country’s political institutions.
The victories of the Nigerian-Americans reflect their increasing participation in American public life, particularly at the state and local government levels, where elected officials influence policies on education, healthcare, housing, public safety and economic development.