Four Nigerian-Americans have won elective positions in the United States 2026 midterm elections, securing seats in local government and state legislatures across Maryland, Texas, Washington DC and Pennsylvania.
The winners are Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem, all members of the Democratic Party.
Their victories came as Democrats made significant gains nationwide, with NBC News projecting that the party had won control of both chambers of Congress.
Another Nigerian-born Democrat, Segun Adeyina, is also seeking re-election to the Georgia House of Representatives, although his final result was still pending as of Wednesday.
Here is a profile of the four Nigerian-Americans who won their elections.
1. Will Jawando – Montgomery County Executive, Maryland
Will Jawando won the race for Montgomery County executive in Maryland, defeating Republican candidate Esther Wells.
The 43-year-old politician previously served as an at-large member of the Montgomery County Council.
He emerged victorious in the competitive Democratic primary in June, defeating fellow council members Andrew Friedson and Evan Glass.
Jawando campaigned on improving education funding and expanding access to affordable housing.
His election campaign continued despite a health setback in early September, when he suffered a heart attack.
Born in Montgomery County, Maryland, Jawando is the son of Olayinka Jawando, a Nigerian immigrant, and an American mother.
2. Junior Ezeonu – Texas House of Representatives
At 27, Junior Ezeonu secured a seat in the Texas House of Representatives for District 101, becoming one of the youngest Nigerian-Americans to win elective office in the 2026 elections.
Ezeonu, who was born in Onitsha, Anambra State, moved to Texas with his family when he was two years old.
He entered politics through local government and won election to the Grand Prairie City Council in 2021.
He later became the city’s youngest mayor pro tempore, a position that placed him among its senior municipal officials.
Ezeonu had earlier defeated Christ Turner, 54, in the Democratic primary.
He was the only candidate on the ballot for the November general election after no Republican entered the race.
3. Oye Owolewa – Washington DC Council
Oye Owolewa won an at-large seat on the Washington DC Council, defeating independent candidate Elissa Silverman.
Owolewa secured 69 per cent of the votes, compared with Silverman’s 21 per cent.
He previously served as a shadow representative for Washington DC, taking office in January 2021.
Born to Nigerian immigrant parents from Kwara and Osun states, Owolewa has made his Nigerian heritage an important part of his political identity.
The pharmacist has also spoken about experiencing bullying during his school years because of his Nigerian name.
His latest victory strengthens his position in Washington DC politics and marks another milestone in his political career.
4. Carol Kazeem – Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Carol Kazeem retained her seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives after defeating Republican candidate Michael Bannon in the race for District 159.
Kazeem, who was born in Pennsylvania, first won election to the state legislature in the 2022 midterm elections.
She was among eight Nigerian-Americans elected to political offices in the United States during that election cycle.
Her latest victory secures another term in the Pennsylvania legislature, where she represents District 159.
Segun Adeyina awaits final result in Georgia
Meanwhile, Nigerian-born Democrat Segun Adeyina is seeking re-election to the Georgia House of Representatives.
Early results showed Adeyina leading Republican challenger Charles Lollar with 1,353 votes against Lollar’s 689.
However, the final results had not been announced as of Wednesday.
Adeyina’s re-election bid could increase the number of Nigerian-born or Nigerian-American politicians holding elected positions in the United States.
