Aber Kawas — the DSA member and Mamdani-backed candidate who once described 9/11 as a terror attack that a “couple people did” — cinched the Democratic nomination to rep a western Queens-based state Senate district Tuesday night.

Kawas, a self-described “Muslim civil right advocate,” won with 60% of the vote in her primary race against Assemblyman Steven Raga (D-Queens) to replace outgoing state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) with 95% of precincts reporting.

Kawas has also been listed as a speaker for CAIR, a controversial Muslim charity accused of Hamas links.

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Aber Kawas speaks on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, after winning her primary.William C Lopez/NY Post

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(From left) Diana Moreno, Claire Valdez, Aber Kawas, Daid Orkin and Samantha Kattan.William C Lopez/NY Post

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Aber Kawas holds up posters at a rally in Queens on June 11, 2026.Xavier Diaz/AdMedia / SplashNews.comWhile Gianaris, who held a significant amount of power as deputy majority leader and chair of Senate Democrats’ campaign arm in Albany, made endorsements in several other primary races, he did not weigh in on his successor.

https://nypost.com/2026/06/24/us-news/mamdani-backed-ny-state-senate-candidate-who-downplayed-9-11-wins-nyc-primary/