Released at the start of Ramadan and during Texas primary season, this episode of Mission: Texas features host Alex Clark in conversation with Zeeshan Hafeez, a progressive Democrat running for Congress. They discuss what it means to run as a Muslim Texan, his race against Julie Johnson and Colin Allred, and the role of outside political spending, including AIPAC, in shaping primary contests.

Note: Julie Johnson was on the podcast in December.  Mission: Texas also reached out to Colin Allred’s campaign to invite him onto the podcast but have not received a response.  

In this episode, Alex and Zeeshan discuss:

• Political “othering” and its impact on Muslim American communities
• How post-9/11 politics continue to shape representation and participation
• Outside political spending and influence in primaries, including AIPAC
• Comparisons to a new generation of movement-driven progressive candidates, including figures like Zohran Mamdani
• Grassroots organizing versus establishment power
• Building coalitions to win Texas long-term

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