Anti-Israel ‘Squad’ member Ilhan Omar survives primary challenge

Challenger Don Samuels did not receive substantial backing from pro-Israel PACs in his challenge against the anti-Israel incumbent.

By World Israel News Staff

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) fended off a primary challenge on Tuesday, winning her party’s nomination by a wider margin than two years ago.

The progressive Democrat and critic of Israel, whose comments on American Jews and the Jewish state have at times led to accusation of antisemitism, bested former Minneapolis city councilman Don Samuels in a rematch of the 2022 Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district.

Omar, 41, only narrowly defeated Samuels in the Democratic primary in 2022, winning with 50.3% of the vote, compared to 48.2% for Samuels.

With 99% of the votes counted, Ilhan Omar has received 67,920 votes to Samuels’ 51,839, giving her a 56.2% vote share, compared to 42.9% for the former city councilman.

“Tonight, special interests lost and our movement won,” Omar wrote on X/Twitter after claiming victory.

Omar vowed to continue her efforts to bring American pressure to bear on Israel to end the war against the Hamas terror organization.

“From protecting reproductive healthcare to reforming the Supreme Court to ending the genocide in Gaza to combatting the climate crisis–we will continue to fight for a more just world,” she tweeted.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee did not contribute to Samuels’ campaign, drawing criticism from Samuels, who said AIPAC had missed an opportunity to unseat one of Congress’ staunchest critics.

AIPAC-backed candidates did oust two other Squad members, including Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush and New York congressman Jamaal Bowman in earlier primary votes.

Minnesota’s 5th congressional district is not considered to be competitive in this fall’s general election, with Omar projected to easily win reelection.

Biden won the district with 80% of the vote in 2020, while Omar won reelection there in 2022 with a three-fold margin over her Republican challenger, 74.3% to 24.5%.