Democrat Nabeela Syed, a 27-year-old politician of Hyderabad origin, has won a seat in the Illinois State Senate, defeating Republican incumbent Darby Hills in the November 3 US midterm elections.
Syed will represent the 26th Senate District in the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, marking another milestone in her political career.
Born and raised in Palatine, Illinois, Syed is the daughter of parents from Hyderabad who immigrated to the United States in the 1980s. She first entered electoral politics in 2022, when she won the 51st District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives at the age of 23, shortly after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley. She was re-elected in 2024 before contesting the State Senate.
Her victory came in one of the most expensive legislative contests in Illinois, with candidates reportedly attracting around $6.5 million in campaign contributions. Syed raised at least $4.7 million, with substantial support from the Democratic Party of Illinois, the Illinois Senate Democratic Fund and labour unions. Hills reportedly raised around $1.8 million.
Affordability and Healthcare Dominate Campaign
Affordability, access to healthcare and the growing number of data centres were among the central issues in Syed’s campaign.
Hills, a former prosecutor and village trustee, was appointed to the seat following the resignation of Dan McConchie. Her campaign focused on public safety, lower taxes and limiting government spending. She also questioned Syed’s age and political experience during the contest.
Both candidates called for tighter oversight of data centre development, an issue that has drawn increasing attention in Illinois.
Syed defended her legislative record and highlighted affordability and healthcare access as key priorities.
From Young Lawmaker to State Senator
Syed first made headlines in 2022 when she became the youngest member of the Illinois General Assembly after flipping a Republican-held district.
In an interview with NBC News following her first election, she spoke about the sacrifices her immigrant parents made to help her build a future in the United States.
“I’m very grateful for all the sacrifices they made so that I could live here,” she said.
“Never in their wildest dreams did they think that I would run for political office. And here I am running for office and winning, and it’s because of them…My mother said if I didn’t do it, who would?”
Syed has also spoken about belonging as a central part of her politics, recalling how she questioned whether she had a place in the country after Donald Trump was elected president.
“This is the only home I’ve ever known, and I was questioning whether or not I belonged here,” she told NBC News.
She has said her experience growing up in a community where people sometimes felt excluded shaped her desire to ensure others feel represented.
Indian-Origin Candidates Among Election Winners
Syed’s victory came amid a broader series of electoral gains and historic milestones in the United States midterm elections.
Several other candidates of Indian origin also won or retained elected offices.
Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam won re-election to the US House from Virginia’s 10th Congressional District. Aruna Miller, who was born in Hyderabad, secured another term as Maryland’s lieutenant governor alongside Governor Wes Moore.
Pia Dandiya also won a seat in the US House from Florida’s 22nd Congressional District, according to election reports.
The election cycle also saw victories for Muslim and Palestinian American candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race and Aber Kawas in New York’s State Senate contest.
Syed’s election to the Illinois Senate marks a significant step in her political career, following her rapid rise from a first-time legislative candidate in 2022 to a member of the state’s upper chamber.
