Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar will defeat primary challenger, CNN projects, breaking ‘squad’ losing streak

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar will beat back a primary challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, CNN projects.

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar will beat back a primary challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, CNN projects, all but guaranteeing that the four original members of the “squad” of progressive House Democrats will be on the ballot this November. First elected in 2018, Omar, who also beat Samuels last cycle, has now defended her 5th District seat in three consecutive primary elections. Two other original “squad” members, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, both eased to renomination earlier this year, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts is unopposed in her primary next month. Omar’s victory is a salve for progressives, especially those critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, after a pair of high-profile losses to moderate Democratic primary challengers heavily backed by big-spending pro-Israel outside groups. Those organizations, which spearheaded the unseating of “squad” members Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri, did not invest in Omar’s Minneapolis-area district, a deep blue enclave where Democrats tend to run up the score in statewide elections. By its closing days, the race had seen just around $3 million in ad spending, with Omar’s campaign accounts contributing $2.75 million on their own. The United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that has spent tens of millions targeting other progressive Democrats this cycle, did not engage in the race. AIPAC directly spent about $25,000 on a digital ad campaign last year targeting Omar – an outspoken critic of Israel – but has not been active in the 2024 contest. In her campaign ads, Omar touted her progressive policy successes, promoted her work in Congress and highlighted the need to protect abortion rights.