Virginia Political Nominee Resists Calls to Quit
Muhammed Sufiyan Casim, a Democratic nominee for supervisor in Woodbridge, Virginia, has refused to withdraw from the race. The refusal comes despite calls from some party officials to step down over racist tweets he posted a decade ago.
The controversial social media posts from Muhammed "Sef" Casim date from 2012 to 2015. Alleged examples include the repeated use of racial slurs, misogynistic language, antisemitic rhetoric comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, and accusations that the United States funds "genocide." Casim’s X account, formerly @SufiyanCasim, is now protected and the posts are no longer publicly visible. A group of Democratic officials, including Casim's predecessor, former Woodbridge Supervisor and now Delegate Margaret Franklin, have called for him to step down. Their joint statement described the remarks as "racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic," asserting they demonstrated a "fundamental failure of character and judgment." Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson also criticized his apology. In a Facebook post, Casim acknowledged and apologized for "disrespectful" posts from 14 years ago, specifically admitting to using an offensive term toward the Black community. He stated the posts from his youth are not a reflection of his current character and attributed the timing of their resurfacing to his Republican opponents. The special election for the Woodbridge District Supervisor seat is scheduled for March 10, 2026. The vacancy was created after Margaret Franklin was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Casim is facing Republican nominee Jeannie M. LaCroix. Casim secured the Democratic nomination in a party-run caucus on February 9, 2026, defeating Pamela G. Montgomery with 291 votes to her 258. Following his victory, the Prince William County Democratic Committee Chair, Samuel Chisolm Jr., had celebrated Casim's "historic" candidacy as the first Muslim to be nominated for the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. The Prince William County Republican Committee has demanded that Democrats withdraw their support for Casim. The committee's chairman, Jacob Alderman, labeled the posts "vile and indefensible" and called the silence from some Democratic leaders "complicity."
