MINNEAPOLIS — The DFL primary in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District is being closely watched again this election, because it features a rematch between incumbent Rep. Ilhan Omar and former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels.
Samuels came within two points of beating Rep. Omar in 2022, which inspired him to try again this year. He started his campaign in November of 2023 in hopes of getting a head start recruiting volunteers, but still lags Omar in both campaign funding and name recognition.
The Fifth District includes Minneapolis and many surrounding suburban communities. The winner of the August 13 Democratic primary is heavily favored to win in November, because the last time a Republican carried CD5 was in 1960.
Omar is seeking a fourth term, and once again picked up an endorsement from the Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive liberal icon and two-time presidential candidate. Sen. Sanders headlined a packed rally for Omar at her alma mater Edison High School on Aug. 3, looking to help her win another trip to Washington, D.C.
Sanders recalled trying to console Omar early in her first term in the U.S. House when she had come under verbal attacks from then-President Donald Trump.
“She said, ‘It’s okay. I’m used to it’,” Sanders told the crowd. “She is tough and you should be enormously proud of having her as your Congressman!”
Omar is Somali refugee, who made history in 2016 when she became the first Somali American elected to any state legislature. Two years later, she made history when she won her first term in Congress.
She became a leader in the progressive caucus and gained national buzz as a member of “The Squad” – a group of young, newly elected progressive women. She worked on child nutrition, student debt, infrastructure and veterans’ issues.
“We've been fighting to bring back resources to the district,” Omar told KARE. “We brought back $54 million. That is touching the lives of the people we represent, closing some of the equity gaps we have in the district.”
Omar cited the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan Act as legislation that has direct impact on families and communities in Minnesota.
“To get our country back towards moving toward progress, whether it’s the climate crisis, whether it’s addressing the income inequality that exists in this country, or creating new, green jobs.”
Omar became a lightning rod for conservatives when she criticized Israel's influence in Washington and the Trump Administration's ban on immigrants from many majority-Muslim countries. She’s become a favorite Trump target, who blasts her in all his Minnesota rallies.
In his rally in St. Cloud July 27, Trump mentioned Omar and Jihadists within the span of a couple minutes, declaring, “We will not let them turn the Midwest into the Middle East.”
Omar, who once described herself as “Donald Trump’s worse nightmare” said the former president has made it very clear how he views immigrants from Muslim nations.
“Trump is somebody who wants to continue to use racist, divisive rhetoric. Trump's against the One America that celebrates the uniqueness of our diversity and sees its strengths.”
She said her campaign is working hard on turnout because voters tend to look past the August primary as they’re thinking about the November election. At the Edison High event, she urged supporters to spread the word about the primary.
“This election is about whether we are brave enough to fight for a better world, for a more peaceful and just world!”
Don Samuels
Don Samuels says he feels good about his chances in the primary because he has 10 times as many volunteers as he did during his first run. Some of the Washington PACs haven’t come through with donations so far, but Samuels has been able to put up some advertising.
“This is kind of a David and Goliath moment, and David is very confident that the few stones we have in our pouch are good enough to slay the giant,” Samuels told KARE.
He said the main reason he’s challenging his fellow Democrat is the belief he can accomplish more by reaching across the aisle, rather than drawing sharp ideological lines.
“I'm definitely the opposite of Congressman Omar, in that I work well with others. I'm always focused on outcomes, maybe because of all the years I spent in the private sector.”
Samuels is a Jamaican immigrant, who spent 30 years designing toys and games before turning to politics. He first drew media attention by holding peace vigils for northside homicide victims.
He was elected to three terms on the Minneapolis City Council, from 2003 to 2014. He made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2013, then served on the Minneapolis School Board from 2015 to 2019.
“We need to stop all the rancor in Washington. The rancor makes people feel frustrated,” Samuels explained, when asked why he’s running again.
He said as a member of Congress he would strive to have coffee with every other member of Congress one at a time.
“There's a frustrated majority, an exhausted majority of people that have kind of given up hope on government. Many of those people are coming out to support me.”
Find your polling place: Click here for polling place locator for August 13 primary.
Samuels began the Lights On! Program in Minnesota, which has now spread to more than 20 states. Officers in cooperating police departments issue vouchers to drivers to pay for repairs instead of ticketing them for that equipment problem.
He was a plaintiff in a lawsuit designed for force Minneapolis to hire more police officers, asserting the city wasn’t moving fast enough to replace hundreds of officers who left the MPD after the civil unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd.
In the 2022 Election, Samuels made public safety an issue in the race, after Omar endorsed a proposed city charter amendment to replace the MPD with a new department of public safety. Minneapolis voters rejected that proposal, and it’s unclear at this point how much of a factor city police budgets will be two years later.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.