Former Education Official Seeks to Win Va.'s Democratic Primary by Inspiring "Non-Traditional" Voters

MANASSAS Va.- Atif Qarni faced language barriers, cultural differences and racial jokes throughout his public school journey after immigrating to the US with his family in the late 1980s. However, supportive teachers guided him through these challenges. Inspired by his childhood experience, Qarni pursued a career as a teacher, education official and is now a congressional candidate. He aimed to create a more inclusive future for all Americans, echoing the empathy of his teachers.

Atif Qarni, an Asian American and former Virginia Secretary of Education, is running for Congress in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District as a Democratic candidate. 12 Democrats and four Republicans are seeking their party's nominations to succeed Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D), who will not seek re-election due to health reasons. The Democratic nominee elected next week will have a strong chance of winning in this blue-leaning district. While most Democratic frontrunners have similar agendas, Qarni's first-generation immigrant background and stance on the war in Gaza set him apart from other contenders.

Qarni immigrated to the US from Pakistan with his family at the age of 10 in 1988. Back then, English language services in public schools were less available than they are today. He saw no one who looked like him in elementary school. Classmates teased him by teaching him English curse words, which he didn't understand at the time. Even after decades, these experiences remain vivid in Qarni's memory, providing him insight into the challenges immigrant families encounter, particularly in education.

During his tenure as Virginia Secretary of Education from 2018 to 2021, Qarni implemented policies addressing children with diverse cultural backgrounds. He assisted in introducing culturally inclusive holidays and meals and ensured a more comprehensive teaching of history in Virginia public schools.

Qarni said he would translate his experience from the education sector to Congress by listening to his constituents and meeting their needs with empathy. He emphasized the importance of cultural competency, which he planned to bring to Capitol Hill. "Congress is not very diverse. If you don't have that cultural competency, you don't understand people's needs," he said.

Approximately 40% of the district's population are people of color, with nearly 16% being Asian American and Pacifc Islanders. The AAPI community faces issues beyond education, including concerns about supply chains, product costs, and workforce shortages, as many are small business owners.

Qarni said these concerns within the AAPI community have long been ignored because career politicians didn’t view them as “likely voters.” While he acknowledged that the AAPI community is not actively engaged in voting, he aimed to use his campaign for voter education.

“It takes time to build habits,” said Qarni. “I think it's worth the time. I believe in investing in people. Best case scenario: they get inspired in this election; they come out in big numbers. Worst case scenario: they don't, but at least I made an attempt, so it’ll be easier for someone else in the future.”

All Democratic candidates, including Qarni, talked about women’s reproductive rights, gun control, and opposing Donald Trump during campaign rallies. However, Qarni believed these issues were not as effective in inspiring more voters to come out. He aimed to stand out with unique agendas.

“They're banking on a very low turnout, which is going to be predominantly older white population,” said Qarni, “My thing is: we're going to expand our base. I want to appeal to everyone.”

From Qarni’s perspective, the most urgent need in the district is affordability, whether it’s education, housing or healthcare. He was especially concerned about families with school-aged children and the teacher community. Half the district's teachers cannot afford to live there, according to Qarni. If elected, he planned to push for a national minimum teacher salary with a cost-of-living adjustment.

As a Muslim, Qarni held a clear stance on the war in Gaza, calling for a cease-fire. He criticized the Israeli government for killing innocent people while condemning “what happened on October 7.” Qarni acknowledged that his position might cost him some voters, but he believed that honesty would win him more support.

This isn't Atif Qarni's first run for office, but he intended it to be his last. Having lived in the district for over two decades, Qarni believed he would inspire a record turnout among "non-traditional" voters, ultimately propelling him to Congress.