Ilhan Omar Defeats Primary Challenger Who Was Backed by Pro-Israel Donors Truthout
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U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar handily won her primary race in Minnesota’s 5th District on Tuesday, effectively securing her reelection to Congress in the face of an onslaught of pro-Israel cash aimed at unseating progressive supporters of a Gaza cease-fire and other popular policy positions.
Omar defeated her main challenger, former Minneapolis city councilmember Don Samuels, by more than 16,000 votes after narrowly fending him off in 2022. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has spent aggressively to defeat other members of the progressive “Squad,” did not get heavily involved in the Minnesota race after its attempt to recruit a different challenger failed.
