Who is Saba Haider? Indian-origin Democrat wins Illinois House seat
What's the story
Saba Haider, an Indian-origin Democratic politician, has made history by winning the 84th House District of Illinois in the 2026 United States midterm elections. The daughter of retired engineer Syed Ali Haider and Chandni, she was born in India and moved to the US in 2007 after marrying Ali Kazmi, a computer science engineer from Bulandshahr. She studied at Holy Child School Ghaziabad before earning a gold-medal master's degree from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Wildlife Science.
Career shift
Haider's career before politics
After moving to the US, Haider settled in Chicago and became a certified yoga teacher. She taught students from various backgrounds, including college students and corporate professionals.
Her work as a yoga instructor helped her connect with people in the community, which later proved crucial when she entered public life.
During her political campaign, Haider said she dedicated her life to giving back to the community that welcomed her family into Illinois.
Political ascent
Her journey in local politics
Haider's first foray into electoral politics was in November 2022 when she contested the DuPage County Board election but lost by around 1,000 votes.
She returned to local politics in 2024, defeating Republican Patty Gustin by a margin of 8,521 votes to win a seat on the DuPage County Board.
During her tenure on the board, Haider chaired Environmental and Strategic Planning committees and worked on public health and community development issues.
Historic victory
Her campaign and victory
Haider's victory in the 2026 midterms made her the first South Asian woman to be elected to the Illinois General Assembly.
Her campaign focused on issues like cost of living, affordable healthcare, and education.
She promised to take working families' concerns to Springfield and collaborate with other elected officials for solutions.
"I know firsthand the struggles our working families are going through," she said during her campaign.