Dr. Mohammad “MoDar” Dar is running for U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts, District 8 in the 2020 election.

Dar is the son of immigrants from Libya.

Dar was an intern for Barack Obama. On Dar’s website, it states:

As a medical student at the University of Michigan, I paused my studies to become an intern in the Obama White House to help implement the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in the Office of Health Reform.

Dar is endorsed by Jetpac, an organization that aims to increase the number of muslims in politics. According to Jetpac.com’s website:

Jetpac (Justice Education Technology Political Advocacy Center) seeks to build a strong American Muslim political infrastructure and increase our community’s influence and engagement.

We will take our place at the table across all levels of government.

Our philosophy of change is rooted in a community-based approach, grassroots mobilization, civics training, and technology application. We have developed our own training curriculum, as well as proprietary social media technology and automation tools, to give our Fellows the skills and resources they need to win elections.

For generations, American Muslims have committed the majority of attention and resources on the construction of brick-and-mortar infrastructure projects—houses of worship, mosques, and Islamic centers—to establish a community base.

Building an American Muslim political infrastructure has fallen by the wayside.

American Muslims have been largely absent from politics. We are now living with the consequences:  lack of political representation, discriminatory policies, Islamophobic rhetoric, and a 600% increase in hate crimes against American Muslims since 2014.

Despite a population of over 3.3 million Muslims in the U.S., fewer than 300 hold elected office, with only two at the Congressional level.

Jetpac was founded  in November 2015 on the heels of Jetpac Founding President Nadeem Mazen’s historic Cambridge City Council re­-election. Through a grassroots organizing strategy and the creation of semi-automated fundraising and outreach technologies, Nadeem’s campaign staff (who would later become the Jetpac Team) increased Muslim voter turnout by 300% and gave Nadeem the highest vote total of all 26 candidates in one of the state’s most competitive races.

Jetpac was established to scale and replicate Nadeem’s successes for American Muslims and allies across the country. Our staff conducts daily one-on-one trainings for American Muslims who wish to run for elected office.

Jetpac announced Dar’s bid for Congress on their website, stating:

Dr. Mohammad Dar “MoDar” has just finished his Jetpac fellowship and is ready to enter the world of politics. MoDar, who joined the Fellowship program in early 2017, has announced his candidacy for Congress: challenging incumbent Stephen Lynch in MA’s 8th Congressional District.

Shaun, who has been meeting regularly with MoDar over the past 18 months to offer his expertise on organizing and running for office, said that MoDar “has been a pleasure to work with” and that “[MoDar’s] growth in this new field has been amazing to watch. He went from being unsure about wanting to run for office—only having been told that he should—to embracing every aspect and setting up an excellent platform and organizing infrastructure.”

MoDar, whose parents moved to the US from Libya before he was born, is a practicing physician most recently working at the Veterans Administration in West Roxbury and Brockton. He also served as Medical Director at Massachusetts Medicaid where he led reforms to make the system more patient-centric. He has also been involved in progressive causes in his community, including automatic voter registration, and was recently awarded the Golden Clipboard award from his local Progressive Massachusetts chapter.

When asked about what Jetpac’s training has meant to his growth as an organizer, MoDar stated that “to run as a minority candidate presents unique difficulties” and that “Jetpac is dedicated to allowing an even playing field for those underrepresented and brings sophisticated knowledge to the table on the issues.”

MoDar will be speaking at Jetpac’s 2019 Fellowship Banquet: Get your tickets today to hear more from this rising star!

Dar announced his candidacy on Facebook, stating:

Today, I am declaring my candidacy for Congress to represent the 8th District of Massachusetts in Washington.

It is time for change. We need more than incremental change. We need bravery in our politics. We need big ideas worthy of our incredible nation. We need leadership that is unafraid to demand that those in power must prioritize the dignity and prosperity of every single American.

Let’s build an America that reaffirms and reignites our best ideals. An America that welcomes you, loves you, and fights for you regardless of your wealth, your orientation, your religion, your skin color, your gender, your party, or where you came from. An America that is bold in its social, economic, and environmental justice. An America that believes in the success of each and every one of us. An America that stands as a beacon to the world and tells the next generation that it is once again dedicated to the Prosperity For All. An America that our next generation will be proud of. 

Let’s build it together. I hope you’ll join us.

UPDATE: Mohammad Dar has dropped out of the election.

https://twitter.com/darforcongress/status/1091323100283719685

UPDATE: Mohammad Dar has dropped out of the election.