Blind state lawmaker 1st Iranian-American elected in U.S. Washington State

[rsmith6621]

AND HE IS A DEMOCRAT

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/-Blind-rep-becomes-1st-Iranian-American-elected-to-state-office-188766411.html

SEATTLE -- One of the newest members of the state Legislature has a unique view on immigrant issues.

Rep. Cyrus Habib's parents were born in Iran, and moved to the U.S. in the 70s. He is the first Iranian-American elected to state office in the entire country, and that's not his most distinguishing trait.

Like every freshman representative, Habib is learning his way around the Capitol, getting acquainted with the many staircases and the shortcuts. But there is a twist in his learning curve.

"I lost my eyesight to a fairly rare form of childhood cancer, so I was totally blind by the time I was 8 years old," said Habib, the first blind legislator in Washington state for perhaps a century.

He represents the technology-driven Eastside -- including Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland, where he campaigned on a platform of funding higher education and growing small business -- by door-knocking, personally walking up to seven thousand homes.

[liberal_at_heart]

1. my legally blind husband has friends who have lost sight due to eye cancer

in fact their children are now fighting eye cancer as well. I think it is cool that Habib won but the Eastside can lean very much republican so I'm wondering what this guy's politics are. For instance, will he fight to get light rail to the Eastside or will he side with the rich snobs that think they are too good for mass transportation?