Washington, August 13, 2024, The Europe Today: U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar has clinched the Democratic Party nomination for a fourth term in Minnesota’s 5th District, marking a significant victory for progressives. Omar, a key member of the group known as “The Squad,” defeated former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels in a closely watched primary on Tuesday.
With 216 out of 217 precincts reporting, Omar led with 56.2% of the vote, while Samuels garnered 42.9%, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. Following a spirited campaign, Samuels conceded defeat, acknowledging Omar’s victory but noting that the results indicated “there are still people who are feeling left out of the congresswoman’s leadership.”
Omar’s success in the primary is attributed in part to her strong fundraising efforts. Since the 2022 election, she has raised $6.8 million, significantly outpacing Samuels’ $1.4 million and more than doubling the typical fundraising totals for House members seeking reelection, according to federal campaign disclosures.
“Because Omar had a tough primary last cycle, she was prepared this time around with a strong ground game and excellent fundraising numbers that far outpaced Samuels,” said Ryan Dawkins, a political science professor at Minnesota’s Carleton College.
Omar, one of four progressive women whose 2018 election led to the formation of “The Squad,” is now expected to win the November 5th general election with ease. This comes as control of Congress will be contested, with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump seeking their respective parties’ presidential nominations.
Omar’s victory comes amid a challenging period for “The Squad,” as fellow members Representatives Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri recently lost their primary races. Both had faced well-funded opponents supported by the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Despite Omar, Bowman, and Bush’s opposition to President Joe Biden’s stance on Israel’s conflict with Hamas, AIPAC’s contributions to Samuels’ campaign were minimal, totaling just $25 by mid-July, according to data from Open Secrets.
The losses of Bowman and Bush signal a shift within the Democratic Party, as it appears to be distancing itself from some of its most progressive stances, such as government-backed healthcare for all Americans and the defunding of police—issues that gained prominence during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.
The absence of a significant 2024 Democratic primary before President Biden ended his candidacy and passed the torch to Vice President Harris has also limited the influence of further-left candidates, such as independent Senator Bernie Sanders, on the party’s current debate.
