We all know Qasim Rashid as the human rights lawyer running against Congressman Rob Wittman in Virginia’s First Congressional District. However, who is the man behind the campaigns, away from the politics?

I had the opportunity to virtually sit down with Rashid and ask him some questions to give voters a moment to learn more about him and his life outside of running for office.

The first question I asked is one that I’m sure is on everybody’s mind: What makes Qasim Rashid different from other Democratic candidates who have ran against Rob Wittman in years past?

Rashid said he has to give credit to those who ran before him like Vangie Williams and Matt Rowe who did great work building coalitions and laying groundwork in the district. He added that he believes his team and the strategy they have developed has set him up for success by building on the already existing coalition and adding to it. He also said that his bipartisan approach to leadership and background as a human rights lawyer and an advocate for those who have been marginalized gives him the ability to bring issues like religious freedom and food insecurity into the policy spectrum. He believes he can work with Democrats and Republicans alike to create a “more United States”.

“Compassion through action” is what drives Rashid’s campaign, and to him, it’s more than just a catchy slogan, it’s a saying he lives by. He says his passion for compassion is driven by his status as an immigrant in this country. His parents volunteered with their children from a young age and that infused in him an element of service in humanity.

“I’m an immigrant in this country,” Rashid said. “We left a country that persecutes us for our faith to pursue this promise of equal justice in the United States–a promise that I don’t think we’ve achieved yet as a nation–but the beautiful thing about our constitution is that it calls us to form a more perfect union and become better today than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than today.”

He believes that the American Dream can only be achieved when the country has access to food, water, shelter, healthcare, and an education, which he said are the principles of a healthy society that will lead to a thriving free market, a prosperous economy, and lower rates of suicide and mental illness. He added that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” depend on these factors, and that the American Dream cannot be achieved without those values.

Taking a moment to address first time voters and young people, Rashid said, “Take the time to research and study to know what you believe and why you believe it. Often times we’re told by politicians, ‘this is what you should believe; follow my lead’, but one of the gifts this country has given us is freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and a free press.[…] The worst thing young people can do right now is let apathy take over and believe that their vote doesn’t matter or that they don’t matter.”

A little known fact about Rashid: he took a class taught Senator Tim Kaine when he was in law school, and he says he’d be excited to work with his former professor if he’s elected.

Rashid said that if he could pass just one piece of legislation in his first term it would either be universal healthcare or asserting broadband as a utility. Though, he admits that is without COVID-19 still looming and if the pandemic is still swinging, he’d like to introduce a bill for a new relief package that includes checks and free testing access for all.

Away from the campaign trail, Rashid enjoys spending time with his family and playing video games and sports with his kids. He also likes to read. He’s currently reading Stamped from the Beginning by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, but campaigning during a pandemic has taken away some of his reading time. He also mentioned how he’s had to be a bit creative to keep his children entertained during quarantine, and one way he did that was by constructing a basketball court in his backyard where they can spend quality time shooting hoops.

Aside from politics, Rashid is a family man who takes great pride in the fact that his brother served in the military, saying that he took his opportunity to give back to a country that had given their family so much.

Rashid says he has his amazing wife and campaign team to thank for helping him keep his life balanced between campaigning and family time.

But those aren’t the only topics we talked about. I asked Rashid the hard-hitting questions that nobody else is asking, and I learned he’s not a fan of 7-Eleven coffee, but he loves butter pecan ice cream and the Popeyes chicken sandwich. He’s also a fan of the first 10 seasons of the Simpsons, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and actor Mahershala Ali. His favorite president is Jimmy Carter.

And to close out the interview, I had to ask about his favorite dad joke. His website has an entire page dedicated to dad jokes. The answer didn’t disappoint. 

“One time my wife’s foot fell asleep,” he said to set up the joke. “And I said, ‘sounds like you’re suffering from the medical condition comatoes’.” 
If you’re interested in learning more about Qasim Rashid and his campaign you can visit his website, or find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.