Rep. Ilhan Omar Looks Set to Win Minnesota Democratic Primary

On August 14, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, a prominent member of the progressive group known as the Squad, declared her victory in the recent primary race. Unofficial results indicated she secured the Democratic Party nomination for the 5th Congressional District of Minnesota.

In a statement on X, Omar celebrated her win, asserting, “Tonight, special interests lost and our movement won. This seat is for all of us. I will continue to take our hopes and dreams to the People’s House.”

With all precincts reporting, Omar received 56.2% of the vote, translating to approximately 68,000 ballots. Her main opponent, Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, garnered around 52,000 votes, amounting to 43% of the total. Two additional candidates, Nate Schluter and Abena McKenzie, failed to secure more than 0.5% of the votes.

This marks the second primary nomination that Omar has successfully attained against Samuels, although this time with a significantly larger margin. In their previous encounter in 2022, Omar won by less than 2,500 votes.

Her recent victory is notable, especially following the losses of two fellow Squad members, Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri, who were defeated in their own primaries amid Democratic divisions regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Bowman lost his primary in late June to George Latimer, a 70-year-old Westchester County Executive. Latimer’s entry into the race was largely fueled by discontent among Jewish leaders over Bowman’s critical stance on Israel and his support for Palestinian rights.

Cori Bush’s race gained attention due to her outspoken criticism of Israel, leading to millions in campaign contributions against her. In that contest, about $19.1 million was spent, with Bush only accounting for $4.2 million while her opponent, Wesley Bell, received substantial backing, including over $9.2 million from the United Democracy Project, a group associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

In sharp contrast, the primary race for Minnesota’s 5th District was considerably less expensive, with total ad spending reaching around $3 million. Remarkably, Omar was responsible for 92% of that amount, while her opposition from AIPAC was modest at just $19,000.

In total, over $54 million has been funneled into primary races featuring Squad members in this election cycle, highlighting the significant financial stakes involved.

Moving forward, Omar will face Republican candidate Dalia Al-Aqidi, who ran uncontested for the Republican nomination. The Squad, which initially comprised four members—Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts—has since expanded to include Bowman, Bush, and others, continuing to influence the political landscape.