DEARBORN – After Democratic primary on Tuesday, Arab American State Rep. Alabas Farhat is now poised to continue representing Dearborn in Lansing for an additional two-year term. This comes after a heated election campaign against Ziad Abdulmalik.

Farhat, who represents District 3, a historically Democratic district, will face Republican Richard Zell in the November general election.

It is almost certain that Farhat will be the only Arab American representative in the Michigan House of Representatives next term, as Democratic Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash opted not to run for another term in the House and  Layla Taha didn’t win the primary in the District 25 House race.

Farhat secured a well-deserved victory, receiving 3,030 votes, or 49 percent, in the Democratic primary election in the district that spans from southeast Dearborn (the South End) to downtown west of the city, including limited neighborhoods in Detroit south of Tireman Street. Abdulmalik garnered 2,451 votes (39.8 percent), placing second after an election battle that was not devoid of ethnic and sectarian tensions. Candidate Guss Tarraf came in last with 654 votes (10.6 percent).

Zell received 1,180 votes, nearly 99 percent of the votes cast in the Republican primary.

In the District 7 race, which includes the Arab-dense city of Hamtramck  currently represented by Rep.  Aiyash, Democrats elected Tonya Myers Phillips, who far outpaced her competitors. Phillips received 4,985 votes (67 percent) in the primary, followed by Abraham Shaw with 16 percent and Ernest Little with 15.6 percent.

Phillips will face her Republican opponent, Barry Altman, in November. Altman topped the Republican list with 176 votes (57 percent).

Taha attempted to compensate for Aiyash’s upcoming absence in Lansing by running in District 25, which includes the entire city of Wayne, most of Westland, parts of Canton Township and a small portion of northeast Dearborn Heights. However, her attempt was unsuccessful as she lost the Democratic primary, finishing second with 2,994 votes (31.6 percent).

Peter Hertzberg won the Democratic party race in that district with 4,981 votes (53 percent), qualifying to face the sole Republican candidate, Josh Powell, in November. Powell received full support from 3,490 Republican voters (99.4 percent).