U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is heading back to Washington

Looks like the famous "Squad" of progressive lawmakers is intact.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Detroit is projected to win her re-election to Congress. The Associated Press called her victory early Wednesday, with more than 66% of precincts reporting.

Not that it was ever really much of a question after the August primary, where Tlaib defeated opponent Brenda Jones by a wide margin. Her 13th Congressional District is a solid Democratic Party stronghold, including portions of Detroit and Dearborn Heights, Highland Park, and western and downriver suburbs.

Despite her strong standing in Tuesday's general election, Tlaib, 44, still spent hours in the cold on Sunday canvassing in Highland Park, focusing on encouraging residents to vote for Democrats and Democratic Party-endorsed candidates. The district includes more than 40,000 registered voters who supported Barack Obama in 2012 but did not vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016; according to her campaign, her campaign has knocked on 42,650 doors, made 259,0494 phone calls, and sent 259,494 text messages.

Fellow Squad members Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota also won their races for re-election, along with Missouri’s first Black female Congresswoman, Cori Bush.

Tlaib, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, says she will continue to push for a progressive agenda. Last week, Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez introduced a bill to create a federally chartered and supported public banking system. "From overdraft fees to charging for having a checking account period, Wall Street-run banks put key financial services out of reach for many of my residents who are struggling to make ends meet," Tlaib said in a statement.

You can revisit our 2019 cover story on Tlaib by Southwest Detroit photojournalist Erik Paul Howard here.

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