NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Incumbent Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, narrowly defeated her primary challenger, Don Samuels, in the race for the Democratic nomination to represent Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Samuels, a pro-police candidate and former Minneapolis City Council member, offered a more centrist policy approach and received key endorsements from leaders across the state, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Omar, a native of Somalia who was first elected to Congress in 2018, has had a political career marked by controversy.
As part of the infamous House “Squad,” Omar, a former member of the Minnesota state House of Representatives, supported far-left policies and has made questionable comments throughout his short term in Congress on Israel.
OMAR, BOWMAN, FAR LEFT ACTIVISTS CALL CLARENCE THOMAS OVER
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, is seen at the U.S. Capitol during a group photo with the Congressional Black Caucus, Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In June 2021, Omar made headlines and drew backlash from his colleagues when he claimed that the United States and Israel had committed “unthinkable atrocities” similar to the Taliban and Hamas.
Around the same time, Omar accused Israel of committing “war crimes” after days of conflict between Israel and Hamas that saw thousands of missiles fired indiscriminately at Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
ILHAN OMAR SAYS TO CNN: “I DON’T REGRET” EQUATING US AND ISRAEL WITH THE TALIBAN, BLAME JEWISH LEGISLATORS
Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District candidate Don Samuels, center, is greeted by supporters at his primary election night party, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, at the Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis Mill District in Minneapolis.
(Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP)
Omar previously drew criticism for tweeting that Israel had “hypnotized” the world and for suggesting that a pro-Israel organization was paying politicians to support the Jewish state, in addition to its support for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS ) anti-Israel. movement
After the death of George Floyd in May, Omar was one of the main proponents of the “defund the police” movement. In October 2021, Omar blamed law enforcement officers for an increase in crime in Minneapolis, accusing them of failing to fulfill their oath of office.
“What we also have to recognize is that the reduction in policing right now in our city and the lawlessness that’s happening is due to two things,” Omar said during a town hall event in Minneapolis.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, speaks to reporters as she leaves a meeting of the House Democratic Progressive Caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
One of them, he said, is that “the police have chosen not to fulfill their oath and to provide the public safety they owe to the citizens they serve.”
Unlike his colleagues who are still undecided about whether they will support President Biden if he officially runs for re-election in 2024, Omar said in June that he would “of course” support him.
Fox News’ Houston Keene and Yael Halon contributed to this report.
Kyle Morris covers politics for Fox News. On Twitter: @RealKyleMorris.
