Amir Omar
Encyclopedia
Amir Omar is the City Councilman for Place 7 in Richardson, Texas
. Omar is believed to be the first Muslim elected to political office in North Texas. Omar was elected to the Richardson City Council, Place 7 in May 2009, defeating incumbent Dennis Stewart by 51.54% to 48.46%.
In addition, American-Iranian groups believe that Omar is the first Iranian-American to be elected to a municipal office in Texas.
father and Iran
ian mother – "this could only happen in America" he wryly noted during the campaign. Compounding the improbability, one parent was Sunni and the other Shi’ite. His mother was an upper-middle class Iranian, his father a Palestinian villager of modest means. They met in Arizona, where their families had sent them for college.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, Omar was raised in South Texas in the Harlingen area. He attended Texas A&M University
, and joined the Corps of Cadets. In addition, he operated a laundry business while in school, and graduated with a B.A. in 1996.
) in 2006 in southern Dallas County, but lost in the primary. He, however, received the endorsement of the Dallas Morning News, which stood him well in his later efforts.
Having moved to Richardson so that his son could attend the school he wanted, Omar set about learning about the city and the way it worked. He attended City Council meetings, Rotary meetings, and eventually decided to run for place 7 of the Richardson City Council, a seat that was held by Dennis Stewart, a retired Richardson police officer who himself had been elected for the first time in 2007.
City Council
is one of three “at-large” positions. All voters vote for all seven Council places, but places 1 through 4 have residency requirements while officeholders in places 5, 6, and 7 can live anywhere in the city.
In 2007, Dennis Stewart, a Richardson police officer who retired as a lieutenant in 2004, ran against incumbent John Sweeden in Place 7 and pulled off an upset, defeating Sweeden by 50.84% to 49.16%. Stewart was part of the group of "new" Council members who elected Steve Mitchell as Mayor in 2007, ending 16 years of Gary Slagel serving as Mayor.
A group of Richardson residents, upset that Slagel had not been re-elected as Mayor, founded a political action group called the Richardson Coalition. This group raised money to promote its agenda, emphasizing what it believed was right with the City. The group made no direct contributions to candidates, but published and mailed a controversial color voter’s guide in which they endorsed a slate of candidates. The Coalition endorsed candidates opposing each of the Council members that ended Slagel’s tenure as Mayor in 2007 (except for Steve Mitchell, who was unopposed in 2009). In the case of Place 7, the Coalition endorsed newcomer Amir Omar over incumbent Dennis Stewart.
The fact that Omar is Muslim
was a strong background issue. However, incumbent Dennis Stewart did not make an issue of Omar’s religion in public and in fact referred to the nights that he as a Richardson police officer spent outside the mosque in the southeast Richardson after September 11, 2001, to ensure that there was no backlash against Muslims in Richardson because of the terror attacks.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Omar outspent and outworked incumbent Stewart, and won by 220 votes, 51.54% to 48.46%.
Omar is the Council liaison to the Retail Committee.
Omar is on the Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation board.
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
. Omar is believed to be the first Muslim elected to political office in North Texas. Omar was elected to the Richardson City Council, Place 7 in May 2009, defeating incumbent Dennis Stewart by 51.54% to 48.46%.
In addition, American-Iranian groups believe that Omar is the first Iranian-American to be elected to a municipal office in Texas.
Upbringing
Amir Omar is the son of a PalestinianPalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
father and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian mother – "this could only happen in America" he wryly noted during the campaign. Compounding the improbability, one parent was Sunni and the other Shi’ite. His mother was an upper-middle class Iranian, his father a Palestinian villager of modest means. They met in Arizona, where their families had sent them for college.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Omar was raised in South Texas in the Harlingen area. He attended Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, and joined the Corps of Cadets. In addition, he operated a laundry business while in school, and graduated with a B.A. in 1996.
Political career
Omar ran for the Republican nomination for the US House of Representatives (Texas 30th DistrictTexas's 30th congressional district
Texas District 30 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves much of the city of Dallas and other parts of Dallas County . The current Representative from District 30 is Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson, who has represented the district since its creation in...
) in 2006 in southern Dallas County, but lost in the primary. He, however, received the endorsement of the Dallas Morning News, which stood him well in his later efforts.
Having moved to Richardson so that his son could attend the school he wanted, Omar set about learning about the city and the way it worked. He attended City Council meetings, Rotary meetings, and eventually decided to run for place 7 of the Richardson City Council, a seat that was held by Dennis Stewart, a retired Richardson police officer who himself had been elected for the first time in 2007.
City Council Race in 2009
Place 7 of the RichardsonRichardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
is one of three “at-large” positions. All voters vote for all seven Council places, but places 1 through 4 have residency requirements while officeholders in places 5, 6, and 7 can live anywhere in the city.
In 2007, Dennis Stewart, a Richardson police officer who retired as a lieutenant in 2004, ran against incumbent John Sweeden in Place 7 and pulled off an upset, defeating Sweeden by 50.84% to 49.16%. Stewart was part of the group of "new" Council members who elected Steve Mitchell as Mayor in 2007, ending 16 years of Gary Slagel serving as Mayor.
A group of Richardson residents, upset that Slagel had not been re-elected as Mayor, founded a political action group called the Richardson Coalition. This group raised money to promote its agenda, emphasizing what it believed was right with the City. The group made no direct contributions to candidates, but published and mailed a controversial color voter’s guide in which they endorsed a slate of candidates. The Coalition endorsed candidates opposing each of the Council members that ended Slagel’s tenure as Mayor in 2007 (except for Steve Mitchell, who was unopposed in 2009). In the case of Place 7, the Coalition endorsed newcomer Amir Omar over incumbent Dennis Stewart.
The fact that Omar is Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
was a strong background issue. However, incumbent Dennis Stewart did not make an issue of Omar’s religion in public and in fact referred to the nights that he as a Richardson police officer spent outside the mosque in the southeast Richardson after September 11, 2001, to ensure that there was no backlash against Muslims in Richardson because of the terror attacks.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Omar outspent and outworked incumbent Stewart, and won by 220 votes, 51.54% to 48.46%.
Council Assignments
Omar is the Council liaison to the Environmental Advisory Commission.Omar is the Council liaison to the Retail Committee.
Omar is on the Methodist Richardson Medical Center Foundation board.