Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the ‘Squad,’ wins Democratic primary in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of the progressive House members known as the “Squad†and a sharp critic of how Israel has conducted the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, has won her primary race in Minnesota.
Omar successfully defended her Minneapolis-area 5th District seat against a repeat challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, a more centrist liberal whom she only narrowly defeated in the 2022 primary. This time she beat Samuels by more than 13 percentage points.
Speaking to supporters in Minneapolis, Omar echoed some of the themes of the Harris-Walz presidential campaign.
“We run the politics of joy,†she said. “Because we know it is joyful to fight for your neighbors. ... We know it is joyful to make sure housing is a human right. We know it is joyful to fight for healthcare to be a human right. We know it is joyful to want to live in a peaceful and equitable world.â€
Omar avoided the fate of two fellow Squad members. Rep. Cori Bush lost the Democratic nomination in her Missouri district last week, and Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York lost his primary in June. Both faced well-funded challengers and millions of dollars in spending by the United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which appeared to sit out the Minnesota race.
Samuels had criticized Omar’s condemnation of the Israeli government’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Though Omar has also criticized Hamas for attacking Israel and taking hostages, Samuels said she’s one-sided and divisive. He also stressed public safety issues in Minneapolis, where a former police officer murdered George Floyd in 2020.
Omar will face Republican Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Iraqi American journalist and self-described secular Muslim who calls Omar pro-Hamas.
Meanwhile, far-right populist and former NBA player Royce White won the primary for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November.
White — an ally of imprisoned former Trump aide Stephen K. Bannon and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones — shocked many political observers when he defeated Navy veteran Joe Fraser at the party convention for the GOP endorsement.
White’s social media comments have been denounced as misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic and profane.
His legal and financial problems include unpaid child support and questionable campaign spending, including $1,200 spent at a Florida strip club after he lost his Republican primary bid to challenge Omar in 2022.
After his win Tuesday, White said in a post on the social media platform X: “Bring it on commies… The People Are Coming.â€
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