‘Have deep roots in UP’: Saba Haider recalls emotional first call to Ghaziabad family after US election win

Saba Haider made history as the first South Asian woman elected to the Illinois General Assembly, winning a seat in the state house of representatives.

Despite making a mark in American politics, India-born US state representative-elect for Illinois, Saba Haider said her roots remain firmly connected to Uttar Pradesh. Haider recalled sharing how her mother and other family members had been anxiously following the results through WhatsApp messages and phone calls.

Haider made history in the US after winning a seat in the Illinois house of representatives, becoming the first South Asian woman to be elected to the state's general assembly.

“I'm the first South Asian immigrant elected to the Illinois General Assembly... It fills me with immense pride and joy to be able to get to work for the residents of District 84 in the General Assembly, and I am excited and I'm ready to get to work,” Haider told ANI.

Expressing gratitude over her victory, Haider said she was honoured to have the opportunity to represent her community.

"My family is based in Ghaziabad... I still have deep roots in India and UP... On the day of the election, my family members, especially my mom, kept texting me on WhatsApp and calling me... They were all very anxious and very curious to see if all of the hard work will pay off tonight, and thankfully it did... I am truly honoured that I get to be in this role to represent my community,” she told ANI.

Haider attributed the strong voter turnout in US midterm election to growing public dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. Citing the rising cost of living, immigration enforcement, tariffs, and the administration’s foreign policy, Haider said voters had used ballot boxes to express their frustration.

“People are also unhappy with the unnecessary wars. President Trump promised not to involve the country in new wars, but that promise was broken. The economy has not improved, ICE agents remain on the streets, and unreasonable tariffs are affecting international relations, trade and the economy. People have expressed their dissatisfaction with the Trump presidency by turning out to vote in record numbers,” she told ANI.

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From Bulandshahr to Illinois politics

Born in India, Haider's family traces its roots to UP's Bulandshahr district. She moved to the United States around 20 years ago and has since been involved in community service and public affairs, PTI reported.

Before winning a seat in the Illinois legislature, she served as a member of the DuPage County Board and worked as a community advocate.

During her election campaign, Haider spoke about her commitment to the community that helped her family settle in Illinois.

"Since then, I've dedicated my life towards giving back to the community that helped me and my family make Illinois our home," Haider said during her campaign.

Haider defeated Republican candidate Brian Scopa

Haider secured a decisive victory in the November 3 US midterm elections, winning the 84th district with 70.9 per cent of the votes. She received 20,756 votes, defeating Republican candidate Brian Scopa, who polled 8,520 votes, accounting for 29.1 per cent of the total, according to Associated Press numbers.

ALSO READ: ‘Mummy, I won’: US midterm winner Saba Haider’s call brings joy to her mother in Ghaziabad

The constituency covers parts of Will, DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties, including Aurora, Naperville, Oswego, Montgomery and Boulder Hill.

Saba Haider thanks voters after election victory

Reacting to her victory, Haider thanked voters, supporters and campaign volunteers, saying the campaign involved months of reaching out to residents across the constituency.

"We did it! We worked hard for the last 15 months talking to voters in every corner of District 84 to learn what they care about, what they want to see change, and how we can work together to build stronger, more prosperous, and more inclusive communities," Haider said in a social media post on Thursday.

Nidhi Giri is a Senior Content Producer at the Hindustan Times. A Delhi-based journalist with over four years of experience in the news media industry, she specialises in national affairs, geopolitics, and policy shifts. Her expertise spans breaking news coverage, live blogging, and long-form explainers. Prior to joining HT, Nidhi was part of the newsrooms at Asian News International (ANI) and The Daily Jagran where she led newsroom shifts, contributed to planned content, and edited stories. She has led real-time coverage of major national and international events. Highlights of her career include an exclusive interview with Supreme Court Judge Justice N Kotiswar Singh, coverage of Lok Sabha Polls 2024, Union Budget, Operation Sindoor, Parliament Sessions, multiple state assembly elections, G20 New Delhi Summit 2023, India AI Summit, US Presidential Elections, and US-Iran conflict. Nidhi is an alumna of Birla Vidya Niketan, Delhi, and holds a BA in English Honours from Bharati College, University of Delhi. She also holds a PG Diploma in English Journalism from Indian Institute Of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal, and an MA in Mass Communication. Outside the newsroom, Nidhi enjoys spending time with her family, exploring new restaurants, and maintaining an active lifestyle through her gym sessions.Read More