Councilmember Hassan is hoping voters remember him

City Councilmember Mohammed Hassan (left) is running for two offices in the primary ballot: one to unseat Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott and another as a write-in candidate to win the Democratic primary for state representative. Councilmember Mohammed Alsomiri is also seeking the same Wayne County Commission seat. File photo

By Charles Sercombe
There is a Hamtramck candidate running for the open state representative seat that was vacated by Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck).
But that candidate’s name does not appear on the Aug. 6 Primary election ballot for Democratic candidates.
However, his name does appear on the ballot in another race.
Confused?
Meet City Councilmember Mohammed Hassan,who is running as a write-in candidate – meaning voters will have to actually write his name into the blank line left for write-ins – for the state representative election.
He is running as a write-in candidate because he missed the deadline to register as a candidate to appear on the ballot.
He also filed, this time by the deadline, to appear on Tuesday’s ballot as a candidate for the Wayne County Commissioner race.
How did all this happen?
Current state Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) pulled out of his re-election at the last minute, but he did not tell anyone about it.
More on that later.
In order for Hassan to fill Aiyash’s seat, voters will have to write his name in on the designated line left open for write-ins, and be sure to color the oval dot next his name in order for it to count.
That’s a long shot to get voters to not only remember all that, but to also spell his name correctly, although the rules on that are open to interpretation.
While Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan initially ran as a write-in candidate when he first ran for mayor and won, history and political wisdom on write-in candidates say that Hassan’s chances are slim.
Not only would he have to win a majority of votes here, but also from the rest of the newly-drawn 7th District that now also includes areas such as Detroit, extending east from Hamtramck to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport and west to Highland Park.
Aiyash abruptly dropped out of the election, reportedly, because he wants to position himself to run, in a year, for state senator in the newly redrawn district that includes Hamtramck.
Hassan has been critical of Aiyash for not letting anyone in Hamtramck know that he would not be running, and thus depriving Hamtramck of the chance to send another resident to Lansing.
When Aiyash dropped out, a few months ago, Hassan told The Review:
“Is he jealous and doesn’t want anyone to go there (Lansing), or was he forced out?”
Hassan declined to elaborate on what he meant by Aiyash being “forced out” of the election. Aiyash did not respond to an email from The Review asking him whether he is, indeed, being forced out by someone.
However, according to state election law, in order for Aiyash to qualify to serve two terms as state senator, he had to withdraw from his re-election bid.
Aiyash was the first Yemeni-American to be elected from Hamtramck, and he was the first Arab-American to be appointed Majority Floor Leader.
In the state representative election, on the Democratic side of the primary ballot, Hassan will be up against Tonya Meyers Phillips, an attorney, Ernest Little, a real estate agent, and Abraham Shaw, a mechanic.
The district heavily favors Democrats in the election, and the thinking is that whichever Democratic candidate wins the primary will go on to win the election in November.
On the Republican side of the primary ballot for the state representative race, there are two candidates: Shelby Wininger, who does not have a campaign website, and Barry Altman, a pastor and construction contractor.
Asked who he is supporting for the election, Aiyash told The Review he’s backing Phillips – not Hassan.
“I’ve come to know Tonya through our collaboration fighting for environmental justice and tenant’s rights over the years. I know she will be a champion for families in Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Detroit,” Aiyash said.
“I am confident she will continue the work we’ve laid out in fighting for equitable economic development, upgrading our infrastructure, protecting our seniors, enhancing environmental protections, holding utilities accountable, and guaranteeing more affordable housing in our district.
“She has my full trust and support, and I’m confident she will be an outstanding Representative for us in Lansing.”
The Review reached out to Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib about who he supports in the state representative race, and he is favoring Hassan.
“No other state rep. candidate reached out to me other than Hassan who calls me every day, so why would I go to support others who does not care about our support or about communicating with us!” Ghalib said.
Ghalib added: “I can just imagine how Hamtramck can be neglected in the future by those who neglect us now, if they win.”
In the Wayne County Commissioner race, Hassan is not alone. Hamtramck Councilmember Mohammed Alsomiri is also seeking to oust longtime incumbent Martha Scott.
In other election matters, Mayor Ghalib also said that, as to the U.S. presidential election, he is still undecided about whom he supports.
Vice President Kamala Harris is now the presumed Democratic candidate after President Biden dropped out following a disappointing debate with Republican candidate former President Donald Trump and a growing loss of support within the Democratic Party.
Harris is expected to be officially nominated for the position by the Democratic Party in the coming weeks.
Ghalib said this about the upcoming election, that will likely pit Harris versus former President Trump.
“I’m in touch with members of both campaigns, but I believe it’s too early to endorse any presidential candidate at this point. I don’t expect any major change in the foreign policy, especially on the war on Gaza,” Ghalib said.
“Harris is holding the stick from the middle. Trump’s stance is ambiguous and could be worse. In this case, we may look into the local policies and see where everyone stands, then we make our decision, but we are not in a rush to do so. Many changes can happen between now and November.”
Ghalib and Aiyash joined others in the Muslim community to urge voters to “boycott” Biden in the Democratic Party primary election. In other words, voters then were urged to not vote for Biden in the primary.
They were opposed to Biden for his support of Israel in its war on Gaza and the killing of over 40,000 Palestinian civilians.
Harris and Biden have been critical of Israel and called for a cease-fire and an end to the war.
Posted Aug. 2, 2024