Firebrand US Representative Ilhan Omar won the Democratic Party nomination for a fourth term, a victory for progressives following losses in party primaries by two other members of the group called “The Squad.”
Omar beat Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis city council member, in Minnesota’s 5th District Democratic primary.
According to Minnesota Secretary of State tallies, Ilhan Omar led Samuels 56.2% to 42.9% after 216 of 217 precincts had reported results.
After a vigorous campaign, Samuels welcomed Omar’s victory in a phone interview, but said the results indicated “there are still individuals who are feeling left out of the congresswoman’s guidance.”
Omar’s strong campaign funding undoubtedly contributed significantly to her victory.
According to federal campaign filings, she has raised $6.8 million since the 2022 election, more than double the average reelection campaign for a House member and well above Samuels’ $1.4 million.
“Because Omar had a difficult primary last cycle (the 2022 election), she came prepared this time with a strong ground game and outstanding fundraising figures that significantly outperformed Samuels,” said Ryan Dawkins, a professor of political science at Minnesota’s Carleton College.
It is anticipated that the Minnesota senator, who is one of the four progressive women whose election in 2018 gave rise to The Squad, would win handily on November 5. As Republican Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris compete for the president, control of Congress will be at stake.
Over the past several months, Representatives Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri—who are both members of the Squad—have lost their party primary to opponents who received significant backing from AIPAC, a pro-Israel fundraising organization.
According to information gathered by Open Secrets, AIPAC had contributed just $25 to Samuels’ campaign as of mid-July, despite the fact that Bowman, Bush, and Omar had all voiced opposition to President Joe Biden’s backing for Israel in its fight against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The Squad’s membership will decline from its peak of nine members due to the losses of Bowman and Bush.
Additionally, they show that the Democratic Party has retreated from some of its most radical positions, such as advocating for publicly funded healthcare for all Americans or discussing defunding the police. These issues surfaced during the 2020 Democratic primary, which Biden won.
Further-left contenders like independent Senator Bernie Sanders did not dominate the discussion since there was not a big 2024 Democratic primary when Biden stepped out from his campaign last month and handed the baton to Harris.
