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Adam Hamawy, an Egyptian-American reconstructive surgeon and US Army veteran, has won election to the US Congress in New Jersey. His journey to politics was shaped by his humanitarian missions in Gaza and decades of responding to violence and disasters.
From Medical Missions to Political Victory
On Tuesday, the 56-year-old celebrated his victory in Plainsboro, New Jersey, alongside other Muslim Americans who secured congressional seats as Democrats took control of both chambers. Hamawy entered politics following medical missions to Gaza in 2024 and 2025, stating that those experiences made it impossible to return to normal life. He campaigned in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District under the slogan “healthcare not bombs”, challenging a political system that funds military actions while leaving Americans burdened with medical debt.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) praised his victory, noting that Hamawy witnessed the impacts of military operations in Gaza firsthand. The ADC stated that he will now bring that direct testimony to the lawmakers responsible for sustaining US support for Israel. Born in Egypt, Hamawy moved to New Jersey as an infant, graduated from Rutgers University and New Jersey Medical School, and served eight years as a US Army officer, including a combat deployment to Baghdad in 2004.
During his military service, Hamawy treated then-Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth after her helicopter was shot down by Iraqi fighters. Duckworth, who lost her legs in the crash, credited Hamawy with saving her life and one of her limbs through a vascular procedure. Duckworth endorsed Hamawy’s campaign in January, praising his courage to speak truth to power. Hamawy retired from the army as a lieutenant colonel in 2011 and subsequently completed humanitarian missions in Haiti, Jordan, Lebanon, and Gaza.
Facing Scrutiny and Bigoted Attacks
During his campaign, Hamawy encountered fierce criticism and what he described as open anti-Muslim hate. Opponents, including Democratic primary rival Adrian Mapp, criticized Hamawy over a past association with Omar Abdel Rahman, a cleric convicted of terrorism charges related to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Hamawy traveled to a conference with Abdel Rahman in his early twenties and later testified as a defense witness at the trial.
Hamawy condemned Abdel Rahman’s violent rhetoric and stated he testified out of civic duty. Campaign representatives called the scrutiny gross and bigoted, while Hamawy noted that his loyalty and patriotism were repeatedly questioned. Selaedin Maksut, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, stated that Islamophobic campaign rhetoric ultimately backfired.
Policy Priorities in Washington
Hamawy’s legislative platform includes universal healthcare, eliminating medical and student debt, and abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which he characterized as an agency full of neo-Nazis. As a physician, he emphasized that insurance companies and the current system fail both patients and providers. On foreign policy, he opposes the war on Iran, advocates ending US military aid to Israel, and supports Palestinian rights under international law.
Hamawy described his domestic and foreign policy goals as interconnected solutions to a broken political and economic system. He stated that the system pours money overseas for military conflicts while dismissing domestic needs like childcare as unrealistic ideas.
