In this file photo, Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 20, 2023.
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Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar defeated her primary rival, former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels, in the primary on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
Omar is one of a group of progressive House members known as “The Squad” who have been harshly critical of the way Israel is waging war in Gaza. She managed to avoid the losses faced by other team members — Reps. Cory Busch of Missouri and Jamal Bowman of New York. Both primary opponents in those races are backed by the super PAC, the United Democracy Project, the political arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
This isn’t the first showdown between Omar and Samuels. In 2022, Samuels came within two percentage points of beating her.
He ran as a centrist, often criticizing Omar for her divisive comments about the Middle East and citing her votes against President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Omar holds a huge fundraising advantage over Samuels and has the support of the Minnesota Democratic Party. Her campaign has also invited national political figures such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who held a campaign rally at her high school alma mater.
Federal campaign records show pro-Israel groups have no apparent financial influence in the race for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. Samuels said he saw a surge in donations after Rep. Bush was defeated in St. Louis last week.
“After Cori’s donation, we received approximately $200,000 in random donations. [Bush] Samuels said Tuesday afternoon while speaking with voters in downtown Minneapolis. “There’s a movement happening here and in other parts of the country away from the far left and toward a more collaborative style,” Samuels said.
The primary winner may face little opposition in the general election. In Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, Democrats have a significant voter registration advantage over Republicans.
