CAIR: Ad Depicting U.S. Soldier, Muslim Wife Met with Positive Response A spokesman for a U.S.-based Muslim civil liberty advocacy group told Al Arabiya News that the organization's reaction towards the advertisement has been "towards the positive side." "I think that that is a worthy image which is designed to spark debate on the issues of race and religion and ethnicity," said Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director for the Council of American-Islamic Relations. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CAIR, Va. Muslims Get-Out-the-Vote in Tight Gubernatorial Race (WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/4/13) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is joining with the Virginia Muslim Political Action Committee (VMPAC) and the Muslim Association of Virginia to mobilize Muslim voters in Virginia through a get-out-the-vote (GOTV) campaign that includes a nonpartisan, non-denominational statewide call this evening urging all Virginians to vote. SEE: Virginia Muslim Political Action Committee (VMPAC) Muslim Association of Virginia (MAV) Tonight`s call will be made to more than 9,000 Muslim and Arab-Virginian households across the state urging eligible voters to go to the polls tomorrow. The call is sponsored by VMPAC and recorded by Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, a Muslim community leader and activist in the state's burgeoning Muslim community. "In such a high stakes election, how Virginia Muslims decide to vote tomorrow could determine whether the state's next Governor is Terry McAuliffe or Ken Cuccinelli," saidCAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw. McCaw added: "The Virginia Muslim community has been engaged throughout the election -- with city, county and state candidates making sure not to miss an opportunity to reach potential supporters at local mosques and Islamic centers -- and Muslim organizations working through community announcements and phone banks to get out the vote." Over the weekend, CAIR co-hosted a GOTV phone bank at the Muslim Association of Virginia's Dar Alnoor Islamic Community Center in Manassas, Virginia. More than 50 volunteers urged Muslim and Arab Virginians throughout Prince William County to vote for the candidate of their choice. Video: Get-Out-the-Vote Drive at Muslim Association of Virginia The event was non-partisan and did not favor one candidate, party or affiliation over another. During last year's nationwide general election, CAIR conducted a national survey of Muslim voters which reported that 55 percent of Muslim voters consider themselves moderate, while 26 percent consider themselves liberal, and 16 percent consider themselves conservative. SEE: CAIR: American Muslim Voters and the 2012 Election: A Demographic Profile and Survey of Attitudes Monitoring the 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, CAIR estimated that the number of Muslim delegates the DNC was at more than 100, up from 43 Muslim and Arab-American delegates at the 2008 Democratic convention, and 25 at the 2004 convention. At the RNC, a handful of Muslim delegates also attended. Washington Post: Muslim Delegates at Democratic Convention Quadrupled Since 2004 CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. - END - CONTACT: For more information on the Virginia Muslim and Arab GOTV campaign, contact CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, rmccaw@cair.com