North Texan makes state legislature history
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Salman Bhojani's wife, Nima, holds the Quran as he is sworn into the Texas Legislature. Photo: Courtesy of Bhojani's office
A lawyer from Euless made history when he was sworn in as a Texas representative Tuesday.
Driving the news: Salman Bhojani was sworn in at the Texas Capitol, using the first American edition of the Quran, printed in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1806.
Why it matters: Bhojani says he's the first person of color to represent House District 92, which includes an increasingly Democratic part of Tarrant County.
- He joins Suleman Lalani from the Houston area to become the first Muslim and South Asian lawmakers in the Texas legislature's 177-year history.
Context: Bhojani migrated from Pakistan at age 19. He says he went from working several minimum wage jobs to owning convenience stores before making a career change to practice law.
- He was elected as a Euless City Council member in 2018, becoming the first person of color to hold elected office in the city.
What he's saying: "I am the first, but I should not be the last. There should be so many more people after me," Bhojani tells Axios, adding that he has been pleasantly surprised by how cordial his fellow lawmakers have been with each other so far.