Maryam Khan (born 1988) is a Pakistan-born American politician who has been a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives since winning a special election to the 5th House District of Windsor and Hartford in 2022.[1] She is the first Muslim elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives and the second elected to the Connecticut General Assembly after State Senator Saud Anwar.[2]
Background
Khan emigrated to the United States from Pakistan as a child in 1994. Khan was a special educational needs teacher before entering politics.[3]
Political career
Khan won nearly 75% of the votes the special-election in the 5th district to succeed Brandon McGee in 2022.[4]
Personal life
Khan lives in Windsor, Connecticut, with her husband and three children.[5]
Electoral history
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryam Khan | Democratic | 706 | 74.6 |
| Charles Jackson | Republican | 136 | 14.4 |
| Lawrence Jaggon | Independent | 104 | 11.0 |
| Turnout | 851 | 8.7 | |
Attack
On June 28, 2023, Khan was assaulted while taking pictures with her family, including her three children, outside the XL Center arena. The assault happened after a morning prayer service hosted by the Islamic Center of Connecticut. The attacker, Andrey Desmond, approached and made numerous suggestive and threatening comments towards Khan. When she tried to walk away, Desmond put his arm around her neck, tried to kiss her, slapped her across the face and threw her to the ground. Desmond later pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree sexual assault, strangulation and risk of injury to a child.[7]
References
- ^ Pazniokas, Mark (2022-03-02). "Maryam Khan elected as first Muslim member of CT House". CT Mirror. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ "Maryam Khan elected as first Muslim member of CT House". Connecticut Public. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ SunniOnline (2022-03-03). "Maryam Khan elected as first Muslim member of CT House". SunniOnline. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ "Maryam Khan elected as first Muslim member of CT House". Connecticut Public. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ "Biography | Connecticut House Democrats". housedems.ct.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ Pazniokas, Mark (2022-03-02). "Maryam Khan elected as first Muslim member of CT House". NewsTimes. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ^ "Lawmaker Is Left With 'Lifetime Trauma' as Attacker Pleads Guilty". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
