Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a Democrat and a member of the progressive “Squad” in the House who has been vocal in her criticism of Israel’s handling of the Gaza conflict, has won her primary election.
After barely losing the 2022 primary to Don Samuels, a more centrist liberal, Omar successfully held her seat in the 5th District, which includes the Minneapolis area. Samuels was a former Minneapolis city council member.
Omar, while addressing a crowd in Minneapolis, repeated several points made during the presidential race by Harris and Walz.
“The politics of joy are run by us,” she declared. Simply said, we recognize that standing up for your neighbors is an honor. Making ensuring everyone has a place to call home is an important and happy goal. Fighting for health care as a human right is something we know to be pleasant. Desiring a world that is both peaceful and egalitarian is, as far as we are aware, an uplifting goal.
Omar escaped the same fate as two other members of the Squad. Last week, Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri was denied the Democratic nomination for her district, and in June, Rep. Jamal Bowman of New York was denied his primary. The United Democracy Project, a super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, seemed to abstain from spending millions of dollars in the Minnesota campaign, and both candidates faced off against well-funded opponents.
Samuels took issue with Omar’s criticism of the Israeli government’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Samuels claimed that Omar is biased and causes division, despite the fact that she has also condemned Hamas for its attacks on Israel and kidnappings. In 2020, a former Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd, and he brought attention to public safety concerns in that city.
Samuels expressed feeling “very disappointed” at his defeat.
In an interview, he expressed his hope that a solid foundation and careful consideration of those who felt excluded would take precedence above a financial advantage. Compared to my expectations, it seems like money plays a little larger role in politics.
Omar said he managed to raise approximately $6.2 million. Nearly $1.4 million was raised by Samuels.
Republicans will confront Omar Omar is characterized by Iraqi American journalist Dalia Al-Aqidi as being pro-Hamas. Al-Aqidi describes herself as a secular Muslim.
Royce White, a conservative populist and a former NBA player, won the Republican nomination in Minnesota to run against Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar in November, defeating Joe Fraser, a veteran of the Navy.
In a closely contested GOP primary, Joe Teirab defeated Democratic incumbent Angie Craig for Minnesota’s 2nd District seat. Teirab had the backing of former president Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Grassroots conservatives backed his opponent, defense attorney Tayler Rahm, who earned the endorsement at the district convention.
Rahm stayed on the ballot even though he stated in July that he was suspending his campaign to instead help Trump’s Minnesota campaign as a senior adviser.
In what is shaping up to be the most heated House contest in Minnesota this November, Teirab will square off against Craig.
“The results of tonight’s election show that Republicans are standing together and prepared for change,” Teirab stated. “Candidates who will improve our economy, protect our borders, and make our communities safe again have our full backing.”
With a statement, Craig referred to him as “someone who moved to the district because he perceived a political opportunity.”
“He’s someone who has gone to extraordinary lengths for months in an effort to garner the backing of Republicans in Washington,” Craig remarked. “And here we have a man whose entire life’s work is to strip families of their reproductive rights and hand them over to politicians.”
White, a supporter of Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist, and Steve Bannon, an associate of Trump’s jailed former adviser, stunned many political watchers by defeating Fraser at the GOP convention for the endorsement in the campaign for the US Senate.
AP AUDIO: Progressive “Squad” member and US Representative Ilhan Omar faces primary challenges in Minnesota twice.
AP’s Julie Walker reports that Minnesota’s Representative Ilhan Omar is up against a primary challenger again.
Critics have criticized White’s remarks on social media, calling them sexist, homophobic, antisemitic, and vulgar. After losing his 2022 primary fight to Omar, he spent $1,200 at a Florida strip club, adding to his list of dubious campaign expenditure and unpaid child support. He boasts that he can increase the party’s support among Black Minnesotans and those who are tired of the status quo by appealing to their sense of community and identity.
After winning, White posted on the social media site X, writing, “Bring it on commies… There Will Be a Crowd.
He was branded as an extreme right-winger by Democratic leaders.
According to a statement from state Democratic Party chair Ken Martin, Senator Amy Klobuchar is known for her ability to unite Minnesotans and get things done, in contrast to Royce White, whose policies and language aim to divide the state. Klobuchar has also been consistently recognized as one of the most bipartisan and effective senators. “There is no doubt about the outcome of this November.”
To challenge Klobuchar, who is running for reelection, White needs to appeal to moderates and independents, but his aggressive manner and message won’t do that, according to Fraser. He claimed to have a more moderate stance, one that prioritized limited government, strong defense, global leadership, and fiscal conservatism. Also mentioned is Fraser’s 26 years of service in the Navy, during which he was an intelligence officer and saw battle in Iraq.
They were both severely underfunded compared to Klobuchar. Last time we heard, White had $133,000 in contributions and Fraser $68,000. In contrast, Klobuchar has raised about $19 million so far and has over $6 million to use in her general election campaign. The main pushback she encountered was minimal at best.
In Minnesota’s 7th District, another battle between long-time Republicans and more recent converts took place. Small businessman Steve Boyd lost to Republican Rep. Michelle Fischbach, who is favored by Trump and is seen as one of the most conservative lawmakers in Congress. At the district convention, Boyd, who was running on a religious platform, blocked her endorsement and ran to her right. Fischbach spent more than $1 million, while Boyd spent $170,000.
In a high-stakes race that will determine not only which party controls the state Senate, but also whether Democrats maintain their narrow “trifecta” control of both chambers and the governor’s office, Democrats picked former state Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart to face Republican Kathleen Fowke in one of the legislative primaries on Tuesday. In the past two years, Democrats have utilized their majority to enact a bold agenda, which caught the attention of Vice President Kamala Harris and led to her selection of Gov. Tim Walz as her running partner.
On the November ballot, there will be just one state senatorial seat. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat from the Minneapolis suburbs, will be running against Tad Jude, a Republican, for the 3rd Congressional District seat in Minnesota.
