Former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, a candidate for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District, has secured crucial endorsements from two influential unions as he heads into the August 13th Democratic primary against incumbent Rep. Ilhan Omar.
This is the first union endorsement he has received.
Samuels’s new endorsers are United Steelworkers, a union representing 1.2 million members across various industries, and the International Union of Operating Engineers, which boasts over 400,000 members in the U.S. and Canada with 14,000 of the members located in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
“Our campaign is not just about winning an election, it’s about making a real difference in the lives of working families,” Samuels said in a statement. “I’m deeply honored to have the support of these unions and their members as we gather momentum for the August 13th primary.”
The endorsements come as things heat up between Samuels and his opponent; Recently, he demanded Omar answer questions about her husband’s business dealings, which her campaign said she is not involved in. The endorsements come within days of Omar releasing her first TV ad in her reelection bid.
BREAKING – Candidate for Congress Don Samuels receives key Labor Union endorsements. “Our campaign is not just about winning an election, it’s about making a real difference in the lives of working families. I’m deeply honored to have the support of these unions and their members… pic.twitter.com/yvikIV7Lgt
— Don Samuels (@DonSamuelsMN) June 17, 2024
Jason George, Business Manager for Operating Engineers’ Local 49, emphasized the union’s support for Samuels, citing Omar’s position on the 2021 Infrastructure Bill as a reason the union is siding with her challenger.
“Our members deserve representation that prioritizes their well-being over political grandstanding,” George said. “Rep. Omar’s vote against the infrastructure package signaled a need for new leadership in the Fifth District.”
The congresswoman’s campaign in responding to the two unions’ endorsements claimed she has the most Union support in the race, stating on X that “Our campaign is proud to be the only one in this race endorsed by a broad coalition of labor unions. From SEIU to Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, It’s clear that Labor is on Team Ilhan.”
Samuels is a Jamaican immigrant who served three terms on the Minneapolis City Council and one term on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board.
He is challenging Omar for the second time, after a narrow defeat in 2022 where he came within 2.1% of unseating her.
Author
About Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mshale Reporter
Panashe is a general assignments reporter. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and a UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2025.
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