Rep. Ilhan Omar Takes Victory in Primary Election

Ilhan Omar’s primary victory raises questions about her political future and the strength of progressive movements.

At a Glance

Rep. Ilhan Omar wins the Minnesota House primary decisively.
The victory comes after key losses for other “Squad” members.
Omar faced challengers, including Don Samuels, but benefited from significant campaign spending.
Omar’s stance on Israel and other progressive values have made her a divisive figure.

A Decisive Victory

In a critical moment for progressive politics, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., won the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 5th District, a triumph that juxtaposes the recent defeats of fellow “Squad” members Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman. Despite facing multiple challengers, Omar secured her victory with notable financial backing and a focused campaign strategy.

Rep. Ilhan Omar successfully defeated Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member who narrowly lost to her in the 2022 primary. Omar also overcame challenges from two other candidates in her district, consolidating her support among her base and leveraging significant campaign resources, spending over $6.1 million by July 24 compared to $71,000 at the same point in the last cycle.

Statement from Omar

Omar’s victory held special significance for progressives who are seeing losses elsewhere. In her victory remarks, Omar emphasized joy in politics, stating, “We run the politics of joy. Because we know it is joyful to fight for your neighbors… We know it is joyful to make sure housing is a human right. We know it is joyful to fight for health care to be a human right. We know it is joyful to want to live in a peaceful and equitable world.”

Omar made it clear that she remains committed to her progressive values, including reproductive rights, Medicare for All, a just foreign policy, climate crisis action, and ending childhood hunger.

Samuels told CBS News before the primary race that he was “excited.” He went on to say, “Last time it was difficult. People were asking, ‘Why are you doing this? You can’t win.’” According to him, there was “hedging of efforts and bets and a little bit of reluctance and it required persuasion. This time people are understanding that if they had invested we could have won.” However, Omar still ended up beating him by about 13% with 99% of the votes counted.

Ilhan Omar successfully defends House seat amid primary challenges to progressive ‘Squad’ https://t.co/twppQShKQC

— TIME (@TIME) August 14, 2024

The Financial Angle

Unlike the barrage of attack ads faced by Reps. Bowman and Bush, Omar did not encounter heavy spending against her from external groups, particularly from the United Democracy Project, a super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This lack of opposition spending, coupled with her robust fundraising efforts that amounted to spending $2.6 million on ads, allowed her to secure a comfortable lead in the race. In stark contrast, Samuels’ campaign saw a relatively modest expenditure of $1.2 million.

Samuels reflected on his loss in an interview. He stated, “What I was hoping is that a strong ground game and an attention to the details of folks who felt left out would trump an overwhelming superiority in dollars… Clearly money matters a little more in politics than I had hoped.”

What’s Next?

Looking forward, Omar will face Republican challenger Dalia Al-Aqidi in the general election. With the demographic leanings of Minnesota’s 5th District, where Biden secured a victory by 63 points in 2020, Omar’s hold on the seat seems firmly established. However, her divisive positions, especially regarding Israel, will continue to keep her in the political spotlight. Republicans have also shown interest in her district, with some encouraging voters to support Samuels just to unseat Omar.

The impact of Omar’s victory goes beyond her district, reflecting the current fragmented state of progressive movements within the Democratic Party. As readers watch this unfold, it is essential to consider how the battle for control within the Democratic Party can shape the broader national policies and the political landscape leading up to the 2024 elections.