Ilhan Omar wins primary

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) won Tuesday’s primary for the Democratic nomination for her seat representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, almost certainly giving her two more years in the House, Decision Desk HQ projects.

Omar fended off a challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, who nearly upset her in a primary two years ago. That year, she won the nomination by fewer than 2,500 votes in a race where more than 110,000 total votes were cast. 

Those results raised questions about her ability to hold on this cycle. The Minnesota primary also came just a week after fellow “squad” member Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her primary, joining Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) to become the latest progressive to fall to a more moderate challenger.

But Omar was able to hold on. She significantly outraised and outspent Samuels, bringing in nearly $6.8 million to Samuels’s $1.4 million. 

She also outraised Samuels two years ago but did not spend in the primary to the extent she did this time. Crucially, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) did not spend money in her primary this cycle, as it did in Bowman and Bush’s.

Omar has faced heat over her criticism of Israel amid its war against Hamas and was an early caller for a cease-fire. Samuels had sought to position himself as a more moderate Democrat who would be more interested in unifying than Omar, whom he criticized as divisive. 

Omar also had the support of members across the spectrum of the Democratic Party, including establishment leaders such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). 

And Omar mostly concentrated her campaign on various progressive issues and less on Israel. 

She will be the favorite to win reelection in November in her solidly blue House district.