She aims to replace outgoing Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and provide a counterweight to anti-Israel voices like Reps—Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) within her party and the Muslim community.
Idan was born in Baghdad in 1990 and volunteered with the U.S. Army in Iraq as a translator when she was 18. She moved to America two years later and became a U.S. citizen in 2015. Her late father, who died in 2021 from COVID-19, was a military engineer for Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party but left when he saw Hussein orchestrate violent attacks.
Idan is the founder and CEO of Humanity Forward, an organization committed to building bridges among Muslims and Jews to promote reconciliation, tolerance, mutual understanding, and peace. She hosted the Sarai Talk Show podcast and received the Ambassador for Peace Award from UN Watch in 2019.
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Idan represented Iraq in the Miss Universe pageant in 2017 and received death threats after posing with Miss Israel Adar Gandelsman during the competition. Her citizenship from Iraq was revoked because of the incident, and her family was forced to flee the country. Her family now lives in another Arab country with formal relations with Israel. Idan has continued to push for solidarity with Israel and promote normalizing ties with the Jewish state.
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Idan has liberal views on several issues and participated in the West Hollywood Pride parade this week. However, she is also outspoken on the increasing antisemitism on the left, including in the LGBT community.
She is running in California's 30th District, which includes Hollywood and Glendale, the site of clashes between parents and LGBT activists over school curricula this week. Schiff is running for Senate.
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Idan's candidacy is significant as she represents a pro-Israel, secular Muslim voice in a party that has seen a rise in anti-Israel sentiment. Her experience as a former Miss Universe contestant and her work with Humanity Forward demonstrates her commitment to building bridges and promoting peace. If elected, she could provide a unique perspective on issues related to the Middle East and the Muslim community.
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