Ilhan Omar, a prominent member of the “Squad,” successfully overcame a primary challenge in Minnesota, a significant event given recent defeats faced by her fellow progressive lawmakers in similar contests. This election was particularly observed after two Squad members had been ousted in previous primaries, largely attributed to substantial backing from pro-Israel organizations.
Omar faced three contenders in her primary race, where she emerged victorious and will advance to the general election for the Democratic nomination in the 5th District, which leans heavily Democratic. She emphasized that her campaign focused on essential issues such as healthcare, housing, and striving for a “peaceful and equitable world.”
Her victory is part of a broader set of primary elections that took place across Connecticut, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Minnesota, where Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar also secured her primary win. Omar garnered over 67,000 votes, accounting for 56% of the total, according to reports, with 99% of ballots counted. Her closest rival, former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, received nearly 43% of the votes and expressed his disappointment over the outcome.
In recent months, fellow Squad members Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman faced setbacks in their primary elections, partly due to considerable financial support from pro-Israel groups aimed at defeating them. Umar’s campaign, however, reportedly avoided similar challenges from such groups, which had heavily invested in the defeat of her peers.
Despite last-minute financial efforts from some pro-Israel donors to bolster Samuels’ campaign, pre-election polling suggested Omar was likely to succeed, with one internal poll indicating she was ahead by 30 points. She received endorsements from notable figures like Senator Bernie Sanders and Vice President Kamala Harris, both of whom campaigned alongside her.
Omar, who was born in Somalia, is among the first Muslim women elected to the US Congress and has been an outspoken critic of Israel since before the current conflict in Gaza. In February 2023, she was removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee by Republicans following comments she made about Israel, in a move Democrats characterized as retaliation for past actions taken by the party. In 2019, she had raised eyebrows with remarks suggesting that allegiance to Israel was expected from American legislators, which she later apologized for.