Rep. Ilhan Omar has won the Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
What We Know:
- Omar won her primary over Democratic challenger Antone Melton-Meaux. The incumbent Omar secured over 57% of the votes and continues the trend of progressive victories nationwide. Omar was one of the four women of color elected to Congress in 2018, known as “The Squad.”
- Melton-Meaux ran a campaign “focused on the fifth,” casting Omar as someone who was more concerned with her national presence than her own constituents. Many predicted this to be a tough primary for Omar because Melton-Meaux is the more moderate candidate and she received little help from progressive groups. Melton-Meaux’s campaign attacked Omar for accusations that she is anti-Semitic. Pro-Israel groups financed Melton-Meaux’s campaign with millions of dollars and they spent twice as much as the Omar campaign on television ads.
- “Ilhan Omar has fought for her constituents with courage and a positive progressive vision. Despite all the manufactured hype and money spent attacking them, the Squad is winning, it’s growing and is here to stay,” said Alex Rojas, the executive director of Justice Democrats.
- Despite Melton-Meaux’s financial backing, Omar received key endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Nancy Pelosi, and Elizabeth Warren.
- President Trump has been open about his disdain for the “Squad” and Omar in specific, calling her “an America-hating socialist” at a Minneapolis rally last year.
- “Squad” members Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently won their primaries as well, also facing well-funded challengers. Omar’s win in 2018 was historic for Congress. She became the first Somali American elected to Congress and one of two Muslim women elected to Congress, which is also a first.
Lacy Johnson won the Republican primary in Minnesota’s 5th District and will face Omar in the November election.
