Mamdani Down South: Pakistani American Akbar Ali Makes History as Georgia’s Youngest Legislator

On Thursday, December 18, 2025, history was made in Norcross, Georgia, when Muhammad Akbar Ali was sworn in as the youngest member of the Georgia State House of Representatives. At just 21 years old, the recent Kennesaw State University graduate won a special election runoff on December 2, 2025, to represent one of Georgia’s most diverse districts—House District 106 in Gwinnett County.

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali is “the youngest elected general assemblyman in Georgia’s history, as far as we know, and also currently the youngest Democratic state representative in the entire nation.” Yet despite these historic titles, Ali remains grounded. “First and foremost, I am a brother, a son, and your neighbor,” he told CBS Atlanta during his swearing-in ceremony.

The Road to Victory: A Low-Turnout Runoff With High Stakes

Ali’s path to the legislature began when Representative Shelly Hutchinson resigned earlier in 2025 to care for a family member. According to Georgia Recorder and Wikipedia, state officials called a special election on September 10, 2025, with candidate qualifying in mid-September and advance voting beginning October 14.

The November 4, 2025 special election featured a three-way race between Ali, fellow Democrat Marqus Cole (a local energy nonprofit leader), and Republican Jamie Parker. According to Georgia Asian Times and multiple sources, Cole led the initial voting with 39 percent, followed by Ali with 32 percent and Parker with 29 percent. With no candidate reaching the required 50 percent threshold, the race went to a December 2 runoff between the top two Democrats.

According to Georgia Asian Times, fewer than 2,000 voters cast ballots in the December 2 runoff, a sharp decline from the more than 8,000 who participated in the November contest. Despite the low turnout typical of special elections, Ali secured a decisive victory with 54 percent of the vote to Cole’s 46 percent, according to Georgia Recorder and the Secretary of State’s website.

According to WSB-TV, Ali credited relentless grassroots campaigning for his victory: “Every single day we were either knocking doors of voters in the district, we were making phone calls, we were sending them mail, we were raising money.”

A Historic Achievement: Taking the Title from Rep. Bryce Berry

Ali’s victory made him the youngest state legislator currently serving in Georgia, according to Georgia Recorder, taking the title from 23-year-old Democratic Representative Bryce Berry of Atlanta.

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali emphasized the magnitude of his achievement: “I’m actually the youngest elected general assemblyman in Georgia’s history, as far as we know, and also currently the youngest Democratic state representative in the entire nation.”

According to WSB-TV, Ali told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson: “I’m beyond grateful to what this district has given me the opportunity to serve. It’s less of something to prove, but more as standing as a symbol for what’s possible.”

From White Rice Every Night to the State Legislature

Ali’s personal story reflects the classic immigrant success narrative—but one he experienced firsthand in ways that shaped his political consciousness.

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali’s parents immigrated from Pakistan and worked their way up in Gwinnett County, which Ali describes as “the most diverse county in the entire southeast of the United States, and we’re the home to many different cultures, many different languages, and we’re proud to be a part of that.”

Ali remembers watching his family climb the economic ladder from difficult circumstances. “But we went on the social ladder of, at one point only having white rice to eat every night. And I was witness to that, with my younger brothers, going from there to being able to own our own house,” Ali told CBS Atlanta.

Those early experiences shaped his worldview and sense of responsibility. “That kind of influenced the idea of you need to look out for everyone. You need to look out for the other person,” he said.

According to CBS Atlanta, the defining moment came when his community’s mosque came under threat. That experience pushed him into activism—organizing marches, engaging in local politics, and eventually rising within the Democratic Party.

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali also credits his younger brothers for keeping him grounded: “I’m just proud to be an older brother that they can look up to.”

From Mosque Defense to Democratic Leadership

Ali’s path into politics began long before he was old enough to vote. According to CBS Atlanta, the defining moment came when his community’s mosque came under threat. That experience pushed him into activism—organizing marches, engaging in local politics, and eventually rising within the Democratic Party.

According to WSB-TV, Ali has been involved in politics since before he could vote: “I feel like I’ve always been civically involved, even from a way younger age too.”

According to Trill Mag, Ali helped recharter the Gwinnett County Young Democrats at age 18. He then ran for and won the position of first vice chair of the Gwinnett County Democratic Party, according to Georgia Recorder and Wikipedia. WSB-TV reported that Ali worked his way up to “second in command with the Democratic Party of Gwinnett.”

Ali attended Gwinnett’s Parkview High School, according to 11Alive, before graduating from Kennesaw State University. According to Georgia Recorder, he works as a graphic designer.

Campaign Platform

Ali ran on a platform focused squarely on issues affecting his diverse district. According to Georgia Recorder and multiple sources, his campaign emphasized:

• Lowering the cost of living
• Supporting public schools
• Protecting the rights of immigrants and LGBTQ people

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali told the outlet his first priorities include: “Lowering property tax, tackling HOA fees, but also defending our civil rights and immigration, and also lowering costs.”

The affordability message resonated strongly in District 106. According to Trill Mag, Ali cited rising housing costs as a major concern. According to Zillow estimates cited by the publication, in 2025, the average price of a house in Gwinnett County is around $400,000—compared to closer to $250,000 in 2020.

Gun Safety

One issue where Ali brings lived experience is gun violence prevention. According to 11Alive, Ali explained: “For instance, I grew up with gun drills in schools. Like, I’ve lived that experience. My younger brothers go through that as well.”

According to 11Alive, Ali will be part of a Democratic caucus that backed most of the 29 gun bills introduced in the Georgia House and Senate in 2025, all of which stalled but remain technically under consideration. The publication noted that Ali says he fully expects resistance: “I’m confident with the relationships that I’ve built that we can get real progress made.”

Building Bridges in a Republican-Controlled House

Ali faces the reality of serving in a Republican-controlled state House, where Democrats are in the minority. However, he emphasizes pragmatism and relationship-building over partisan confrontation.

According to CBS Atlanta, Ali stated: “Even though we’re in the minority in the state House, we can still get things done. My ego is not bigger than the progress that we can make.”

He told the outlet that his first priority is building relationships across the aisle: “I want to come in here. I want to build bridges. I want to be solutions oriented.”

According to WSB-TV, as he prepares to enter the Republican-controlled State House, Ali says he’s ready to work across party lines: “Progress cannot be smaller than someone’s ego sometimes.”

Already Campaigning Again

Despite just being sworn in, Ali is already back on the campaign trail. According to CBS Atlanta, because he won a special election, he must defend his seat in a May 2026 primary and again in November 2026.

“I’m still canvassing. I’m still going door to door. I am still talking to people within the community,” Ali told CBS Atlanta.

What keeps him going, he said, is the belief that representation matters. “The work is never done. You know, we can always improve the area that we live in.”

According to 11Alive, Ali confirmed his plans to run again next spring to keep his District 106 seat through 2027.

A Creative Spirit: Writing a Southern Detective Novella

Away from politics, Ali channels his creativity through writing. According to CBS Atlanta, Ali stated: “I’ve always just been a creative at my heart.”

He’s currently working on a longer literary project. “There’s a novella in the works at the moment…just a southern detective within deep Georgia, tackling a tech and a cult phenomenon there,” Ali told CBS Atlanta.

The creative outlet provides balance to his demanding political work and reflects his multifaceted interests beyond policy and campaigning.

Part of a Progressive Wave

Ali’s victory is part of a broader pattern of young progressives winning unexpected victories across the country. According to Trill Mag, Ali received endorsement from Leaders We Deserve, an organization founded by gun control activist and DNC Vice Chair David Hogg that supports young progressive candidates.

The publication noted that Ali’s December 2 runoff victory came during the same period when other young progressives achieved notable wins, including Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City mayor. According to Trill Mag, “Electing the youngest state representative in Georgia, gaining 13 points in a Trump stronghold in Tennessee, and ending a decades-old Republican winning streak in Miami are just some of the things Democrats have pulled off over the past month.”

The article characterized Ali alongside Mamdani as examples of how “excitement for other progressive primary candidates…has left many hopeful that progressives will continue to make gains.”

This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.