Ilhan Omar Overcomes Opponents in Primary Victory, AIPAC Does Not Participate
Omar triumphed over an opponent who fell merely 2 points short of unseating her in 2022.
TroibNews 
Rep. Ilhan Omar, representing the progressive "Squad," successfully overcame her primary challengers in Minneapolis’s 5th District on Tuesday. Omar outperformed Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member who narrowly missed defeating her in the previous election, and two other lesser-known candidates. Her victory occurred just a week after Squad member Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri was defeated in her primary, an election heavily influenced by funding from pro-Israel groups.
Unlike Bush's election, Omar's campaign did not experience significant spending from such groups. Her adversaries were comparatively fewer this time around.
Despite the United Democracy Project, a super PAC from AIPAC, spending substantial amounts against Omar in 2022, the prominent pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, chose not to engage in Omar’s latest campaign. Omar, a Somali civil war refugee and one of the first two Muslim women in Congress, frequently criticizes Israel. Despite AIPAC's absence in this election cycle, Omar continued to caution against and fundraise around the group’s potential involvement.
Omar was a formidable fundraiser, significantly outpacing Samuels financially before the primary. (Samuels experienced a funding increase after AIPAC-backed Wesley Bell defeated Bush.) Samuels articulated his vulnerability without external support, stating in an interview with PMG, “mentally, we felt vulnerable.”
AIPAC has been selective in its political engagements, deciding against involvement in several races, including those of other Squad members who faced significant opposition. Despite heavy spending against both Bush and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), other factors also challenged their re-election efforts. AIPAC also avoided Rep. Summer Lee’s earlier primary in Pennsylvania, which she easily secured.
The decision not to aggressively oppose Omar, particularly after Samuels’ strong challenge in the previous cycle, may relate to her backing from established figures and her constituency's progressive stance. Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin highlighted her growing support among elected officials, noting, "Several cycles ago when she first ran, you wouldn’t have found a lot of our elected officials probably supporting her, but they support her now because she's been much more effective in building coalitions.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, also a Squad member, faces no challengers in her upcoming primary and general elections, ensuring her re-election. Additionally, other Squad representatives did not confront primaries.
Following the losses of Bowman and Bush, concerns have emerged within the progressive faction regarding their ability to counter substantial political funding in future elections.
Nicholas Wu contributed to this report.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
Unlike Bush's election, Omar's campaign did not experience significant spending from such groups. Her adversaries were comparatively fewer this time around.
Despite the United Democracy Project, a super PAC from AIPAC, spending substantial amounts against Omar in 2022, the prominent pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, chose not to engage in Omar’s latest campaign. Omar, a Somali civil war refugee and one of the first two Muslim women in Congress, frequently criticizes Israel. Despite AIPAC's absence in this election cycle, Omar continued to caution against and fundraise around the group’s potential involvement.
Omar was a formidable fundraiser, significantly outpacing Samuels financially before the primary. (Samuels experienced a funding increase after AIPAC-backed Wesley Bell defeated Bush.) Samuels articulated his vulnerability without external support, stating in an interview with PMG, “mentally, we felt vulnerable.”
AIPAC has been selective in its political engagements, deciding against involvement in several races, including those of other Squad members who faced significant opposition. Despite heavy spending against both Bush and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), other factors also challenged their re-election efforts. AIPAC also avoided Rep. Summer Lee’s earlier primary in Pennsylvania, which she easily secured.
The decision not to aggressively oppose Omar, particularly after Samuels’ strong challenge in the previous cycle, may relate to her backing from established figures and her constituency's progressive stance. Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin highlighted her growing support among elected officials, noting, "Several cycles ago when she first ran, you wouldn’t have found a lot of our elected officials probably supporting her, but they support her now because she's been much more effective in building coalitions.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, also a Squad member, faces no challengers in her upcoming primary and general elections, ensuring her re-election. Additionally, other Squad representatives did not confront primaries.
Following the losses of Bowman and Bush, concerns have emerged within the progressive faction regarding their ability to counter substantial political funding in future elections.
Nicholas Wu contributed to this report.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
