Cyrus Habib Announces Bid for Washington State Lieutenant Governor
September 18, 2015, Washington, D.C. – Today, Washington State Senator Cyrus Habib announced his candidacy for the Washington State Lieutenant Governor. If successful, Habib will become the first Iranian American to be elected to the position of Lieutenant Governor, the highest officer of a state after the Governor.
In 2014, Habib was elected with 65% of the vote to represent the 48th Legislative District in the Washington State Senate. Immediately after his election to the State Senate, Habib was elected Senate Democratic Whip by his fellow Democrats, placing him in one of the top leadership positions in the State Senate. Prior to his 2014 election, Habib served as Representative for Washington’s 48th House Legislative District.
During his tenures in the state legislature, Habib has sponsored and helped pass many pieces of legislation, including a 2015 Nowruz resolution which underscores the spirit of Nowruz shared by millions across the globe, including the tens of thousands of Iranian American residents in Washington State. The legislation also acknowledges the lasting impact of the Iranian American community on the social and economic fabric of America. In addition, he was the prime sponsor of the Washington State Jobs Act, which became law in March of 2014 and enables start-up companies in Washington State to engage in equity crowd funding.
In 2014, Habib was named one of the “40 Under 40 Political Rising Stars” by the Washington Post. He was also named one of “12 State Legislators to Watch” by Governing Magazine. Seattle Magazine has named him one of the “most influential” people in the greater Seattle area.
“I am excited to bring new ideas, real experience, and a touch of the American dream to this underutilized, constitutionally important office,” said Habib in a recent press release. “Losing my eyesight to cancer as an eight-year-old taught me the importance of hard work and creative solutions. And that’s precisely what the people of Washington State need in their next Lieutenant Governor, someone who will work tirelessly and embrace innovation so that the Legislature can finish its work on time, pass budgets that meet our constitutional and moral obligations, and function in a less partisan fashion.” Habib is looking to improve the legislative process to address the needs of all Washington residents.
Cyrus Habib is the first American of Iranian heritage to serve in a state legislature and is the highest ranking Iranian American in elected office. Habib was raised in Bellevue, Washington and attended Columbia University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and Yale Law School, where he was editor of the law review.
