A Gambian American, Samba Batch Baldeh, has been declared the winner to become the 48th assembly district and first Muslim in Wisconsin State Legislature in the United States November 3rd election. Madison Alder Samba has defeated his Republican opponent Samuel Anderson.
“I look forward to working with the governor and all of my colleagues on the urgent issues that must be addressed; a ranging pandemic, massive unemployment particularly in the service sector and the upcoming winter and flu season, Baldeh tells Madison365.>>These really are issues of life and death and should be the focus of our attention before everything else.”
Baldeh was declared the winner with 80 percent of the vote with 97 percent of precincts reporting. Baldeh will be the first Muslim elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature and the first Black man from Dane County. Baldeh, an IT project engineer at American Family Insurance, is currently in the third term on the Madison Common Council representing Madison’s 17th District.
Baldeh takes over from Rev. Melissa Sargent who had represented the 48th Assembly District since 2013.
The Mayor of Kanifing Municipality in The Gambia, Talib Ahmed Bensouda took to Facebook Wednesday to congratulate Baldeh on his election, describing him as a ‘friend.’
Meanwhile, the United States presidential election remains tight between the incumbent Donald Trump and Democrat’s nominee Joe Biden. The latter is currently leading the former by 238 to 213 as the race for the magical number of 270 electoral votes intensifies.