Representative Ilhan Omar has won the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 5th congressional district, defeating former city councilman Don Samuels. With 216 of 217 precincts reporting, Omar led Samuels 56.2% to 42.9%, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State. The victory comes two years after Omar narrowly defeated Samuels in the 2022 primary.
Omar, a member of the progressive 'Squad', is the first woman of colour to represent Minnesota in the US House. She has been a vocal critic of Israel's war in Gaza and called for a ceasefire after the 7 October attacks. Her daughter was suspended from Barnard College for participating in pro-Palestinian protests.
Unlike fellow Squad members Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, who lost their primaries after facing significant spending from pro-Israel groups, Omar faced a lower-key race. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) and its affiliated super PAC did not spend against her. Mark Mellman of Democratic Majority for Israel cited candidate 'vulnerability' as a factor, and Omar's internal polling showed her leading Samuels 60% to 33%.
In her campaign, Omar emphasised her work for the district and featured President Joe Biden in an ad. Biden praised her for 'never stop working to level the playing field'. Samuels expressed disappointment, saying 'money matters a little more in politics than I had hoped'.
