Firebrand US Representative Ilhan Omar secured the Democratic Party nomination for a fourth term on Tuesday, as reported by media projections, marking a win for progressives following defeats in party primaries for two other members of the group known as 'The Squad.' Omar triumphed over former Minneapolis city council member Don Samuels in Minnesota's 5th District Democratic primary. With 216 out of 217 precincts reporting, Omar led Samuels 56.2%-42.9%, with projections of her victory by Associated Press and NBC News.
Omar's successful fundraising efforts likely contributed significantly to her win. She amassed $6.8 million since the 2022 election, more than double the usual House member's reelection campaign and far exceeding Samuels' $1.4 million, according to federal campaign disclosures. As one of the four progressive women who formed The Squad after their 2018 election, Omar is anticipated to easily win the November 5 election. Control of Congress is at stake as Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump vie for the presidency.
Fellow Squad members Representatives Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri suffered defeats in their party primaries in recent months, facing challengers backed by the pro-Israel fundraising group AIPAC. Bowman, Bush, and Omar had all voiced opposition to President Joe Biden's support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas militants in Gaza, but AIPAC had only contributed $25 to Samuels' campaign by mid-July, according to Open Secrets data. Bowman and Bush's losses will reduce The Squad's membership from its peak of nine members.
These losses also indicate a Democratic Party moving away from some of its most left-wing causes, such as universal government-backed healthcare and defunding the police, which gained prominence during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary before Biden secured the nomination. The lack of a significant 2024 Democratic primary before Biden's candidacy ended last month, handing the reins to Harris, meant that further-left candidates like independent Senator Bernie Sanders did not steer the debate.
Alan Minsky, executive director of Progressive Democrats of America, noted that the progressive movement faced challenges due to the absence of a prominent figure on the national stage. However, he argued that progressive priorities, such as affordable prescription drugs and childcare, still resonate with voters. Omar and some Squad members voted against certain Biden priorities, including the $1 trillion infrastructure bill of 2021, primarily because it did not coincide with a promised bill to expand social programs.
Unlike the Republican House Freedom Caucus, which has frequently obstructed its own party's priorities, Squad members generally vote in line with fellow Democrats on legislation. Omar, who came to the US as a refugee from Somalia, describes her politics as 'visionary, bold, and loud,' and claims to have secured millions of dollars in federal funds for community development in her district. She emphasizes her focus on the district's large immigrant population, including Somalis, by investigating potential discrimination by large banks against Muslim Americans.
Omar has faced criticism for antisemitic comments, leading House Republicans in 2023 to vote to remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee over a 2019 social media post suggesting that Israel's supporters were driven by money rather than principle. She has since apologized for that post. Jamaican-born Samuels, a former toy developer and non-profit leader, positioned himself as a pragmatic alternative, agreeing with many of Omar's policy stances but not her divisive governing style.
