The Democrat primary for Ohio’s 3rd House District was just won by a Somali immigrant who delivered his victory speech with “not a word of English.”

Incumbent Democratic Ohio Rep. Ismail Mohamed won the primary in a landslide, defeating challengers Abdirizak Diini, also a Somali immigrant, as well as activist Julia Trabold.

The 31-year-old was first elected in 2022, becoming Ohio’s first Somali lawmaker along with Munira Abdullahi, who won in Ohio’s 9th district in that same year. Securing his primary win on Tuesday, the Democrat spoke to supporters in Somali following the victory.

Ohio Rep. Ismail Mohamed delivers his victory speech. Not a word of English. pic.twitter.com/GmJco3aCN1

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 20, 2024

“Columbus, Ohio is home to more than 45,000 Somalis – the largest population in the country aside from the district in Minnesota that is represented by Ilhan Omar,” Daily Mail noted.

Despite running in a U.S. election, he spoke in Somali to constituents in a campaign ad that ran on Somalia’s state-owned TV channel.

“Our aim as a united front is to lobby for Somalia,” he said in the video that was presented in the Somali language.

Ohio State Rep. Ismail Mohamed (D-Columbus) is campaigning on #Somalia‘s state owned TV for an American election. He said his objective is to lobby for #Somalia, and his first term achievement was naming a Columbus street in honor of a Somali terrorist. pic.twitter.com/Tcghf7iGEN

— Nabad iyo Caano (@VancitySam) March 11, 2024

“Now a Midwestern attorney, Mohamed first came to the United States in 2005 as a refugee. After fleeing his home country, he spent a period of time in Kenya before landing on America’s shores, and graduating from high school in Ohio,” Daily Mail reported. “His father became a citizen after working with the US armed forces as an Arabic translator during the US invasion of Iraq. Shortly after, he sponsored Mohamed and his family’s visas, which allowed them to settle into life in Ohio.”

The Ohio state representative’s victory speech was not received well by many on social media for obvious reasons.

Ohio State Rep. Ismail Mohamed delivers his victory speech ENTIRELY in Somali. NOT ONE BIT OF ENGLISH.

His whole campaign was Somali.

We live in the UNITED STATES, not Somalia. pic.twitter.com/k31vScdu5X

— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) March 20, 2024

This is what an invasion looks like. Zero assimilation

Guarantee this guy doesn’t even know 5% of what the constitution says

— George (@BehizyTweets) March 20, 2024

Ismail Mohamed just took a page out of Ilhan Omar’s book of representing the interests of Somalia instead of America.

They want to destroy America!!

— Pismo (@Pismo_B) March 20, 2024

The invasion is almost complete.

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) March 21, 2024

Maybe he should go deliver that speech in Somalia and stay there

— MAGA COUNTRY (@lefthas0class) March 20, 2024

Wow, not a word of English.

— Valerie G (@ValerieGoldst17) March 20, 2024

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Frieda Powers

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Frieda@bizpacreview.com

Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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