Ilhan Omar Wins Primary Amid Defeat Of 2 Fellow ‘Squad’ Members

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, an original member of the “Squad,” has won the congressional primary for Minnesota’s 5th District and will move on in the November election as the Democratic candidate.

Omar, one of the first Muslim women in Congress, reigned victorious with over 67,000 votes after overcoming three other challengers in the primary contest, a race BBC News reported was closely watched amid the defeat of two different “Squad” members this summer. After tallying 99% of the votes, Omar, who received 56%, defeated former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, who came in second with just under 43%. On Tuesday, the congresswoman asserted her fight for healthcare, housing, world peace, and equity to supporters. “We run the politics of joy,” Omar said.

Omar’s campaign has seen support from Senator Bernie Sanders and Vice President Kamala Harris. According to NBC News, following a close race with Samuels in 2022, her campaign spending skyrocketed from $71,000 in the previous race to over $6 million for 2024. In a campaign ad this year, the Somali-born American politician thanked the Minnesota community for welcoming her as a refugee and stated her commitment to representing the youth and delivering food security. Her campaign has also highlighted her support for abortion rights.

“I think having new voices at the table means new problems will get addressed,” Omar told Bloomberg ahead of her primary win. In 2020, BLACK ENTERPRISE covered Omar’s call to dismantle the economic and political systems in the U.S., which she described as “systems of oppression.”

The congresswoman’s victory follows the defeats of two fellow “Squad” members, Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri, whose primaries focused on the Democratic Party’s division over the war in Gaza. Omar, who BE noted is an original member of the group of progressive Democrats, dodged slander ads during her race from groups like United Democracy Project. Reportedly, the super-PAC controlled by the pro-Israel group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, invested millions in the defeat against Bowman and Bush but steered clear of Omar’s primary race.