Muhammad Casim refused calls from top Democrats to drop out of Prince William County supervisor race
A Virginia Democrat who refused calls from prominent party leaders to drop out of the Prince William County supervisor race over racist social media posts was projected to lose his bid, handing Republicans a pickup in the Washington exurbs.
The defeat followed public rebukes from several top state and local Democrats, who said Muhammad “Sef” Casim had disqualified himself and urged him to step aside. Casim remained in the race, however, saying the stakes were too high to withdraw.
Republican Realtor Jeanne LaCroix was poised to win the Woodbridge District seat, marking a Republican gain in a county that has trended Democratic in recent years.
Prince William County, once a conservative stronghold during the Obama era, became known nationally for hardline immigration policies before shifting left alongside Northern Virginia’s suburban growth.