After Rep. Ilhan Omar Prevails In Her Primary, The Squad Breathes A Sigh Of Relief

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) won her primary on Tuesday despite the losses among other pro-Palestinian Democrats in their contests over the summer.

Omar, a critic of Israel due to the war in Gaza, beat her opponents and outspent them significantly. Omar defeated Don Samuels, a Minneapolis City Council member, who came within 2,500 votes of beating her in 2022. She is running for her fourth term in the House.

Omar celebrated her victory on social media, writing that she is “honored that my community voted to send me back to Congress. Tonight’s victory shows that the Fifth District believes in the collective values we are fighting for in Washington.”

New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman and Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, other members of the so-called  “squad” of left-wing House members, lost due to heavy spending by pro-Israel groups.

Omar has faced backlash for her pro-Palestine stance. She was voted off of the Foreign Affairs Committee by House Republicans after making comments about Israel that were regarded as antisemitic.

She also participated in the Columbia University encampment in April, where she suggested that some Jewish students were supporting a genocide. Her daughter was one of many students who were suspended for participating in the encampment.

Omar was first elected in 2018 during former President Donald Trump’s presidency. The same year, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley were also elected.

Trump suggested that these women should “go back” to their own countries. Of the squad members, Omar, who was born in the Somali and came to the U.S. as a refugee, was the only one who was not born in the U.S.

Article by Hannah Molayal