Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American member of the US Congress, survived a stiff Democratic primary challenge from a well-funded opponent, who sought to make an issue of her national fame, the latest in a string of victories by a new generation of progressive legislators.
Omar, who was seeking her second term in November, easily defeated Antone Melton-Meaux, a lawyer and mediator who is raising millions in money against Omar, and a third candidate.
She expanded her base by winning 57 percent of the vote against her two challenger during the election cycle, compared to her 48 percent victory in the 2018 primary.
“In Minnesota, we know that organized people will always hit organized money,” she wrote on social media after her win. “Despite the attacks, our support has only grown.”
Omar’s district is particularly democratic, and she is expected to win in November.
One of the first two Muslim women to be elected to Congress in 2018, Omar, 37, is known as a member of the “Squad” of four freshman liberal congresswomen.
Omar built on a national profile that began when the fugitive refugee from Somalia was elected to the Minnesota Legislature in 2016. Her aggressive advocacy for liberal issues, and her boundaries to include U.S. President Donald Trump, made her even more prominent .
Omar and her allies won confidence in their chances of winning primary elections last week by fellow progressive members of Congress Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and by Cori Bush, a Black Lives Matter activist who removed a longtime St. Louis area congressman.
They also maintained momentum from the renewed focus on racial and economic justice following the death of George Floyd in the city of Minneapolis.
‘Our squad is big’
After news reports projected Omar as the winner of the race, Tlaib congratulated her and said, “Our squad is great!” Omar and Tlaib were elected the first two Muslim women in Congress in 2018.
Omar’s opponent Melton-Meaux used the cash to paper the district and flood airwaves with his “Focus on the Fifth” message that Omar portrayed as out of contact with the heavily Democratic Minneapolis District 5th District, which has not elected a Republican since to Congress 1960.
It has been the honor of my life to represent you in Congress and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of the 5th District in the years to come.
– Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 12, 2020
He acknowledged defeat and acknowledged that his efforts were not enough, while refusing to speculate on why.
Omar rejected the Melton-Meaux attacks, saying they were funded by interests that wanted to get them out of Congress because they were effective.
Omar’s win in a Democratic stronghold means all four members of the Squad are likely to win in November. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York sent out a primary challenger in June, and the fourth Squad member, Representative Ayanna Pressley, will follow board next month at her primary in Massachusetts.
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Vermont and Georgia all held primary elections for Congress on Tuesday. The outcome will help set the stage for the November by-elections to the House of Representatives and the House of Representatives, which will determine the balance of power in Washington.
After entering Congress with fanfare, Omar hurled himself early with remarks about Israel and money that even some fellow Democrats called anti-Semitic, and found himself apologizing.
She also came under control when her marriage fell apart and she married her political adviser for months after refusing to have a relationship.
Republicans have also raised questions about continued payments to her new husband’s company, though experts said they are not necessarily indecent.
In the wake of Floyd’s death, police reform also emerged as a problem. Omar supported a push by a Minneapolis City Council majority to replace the city’s police department with something new.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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