Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has secured a fourth term, defeating Republican challenger Dalia Al-Aqidi in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District by more than 50 percentage points as of midnight Tuesday when 90% of the precincts had reported. She had garnered 245,363 votes to Al-Aqidi’s 75,996.
The resounding victory marks a significant milestone for the Somali American congresswoman and the only African-born member of Congress, cementing her place as a prominent voice in both local and national politics.
Omar, the first Somali American and first African refugee elected to Congress, has consistently faced stiff political opposition since filling the open Fifth Congressional District seat formerly held by current Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in 2018. In this election cycle, rivals sought to capitalize on Omar’s stances on the Israel-Hamas war.
But Omar’s focus on Democratic priorities – including reproductive rights, economic justice, and addressing childhood poverty – resonated with voters in the diverse Fifth District, which includes Minneapolis and nearby suburbs. The congresswoman made protecting and expanding reproductive rights a central issue in her campaign, echoing a nationwide debate on the topic. Omar also pledged to combat “corporate greed,” cut taxes for the middle class, and ensure a child tax credit to address poverty.
This election saw a notable shift in strategy from groups that have historically sought to unseat Omar. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), — which spent heavily to unseat fellow progressive members of the “Squad” — did not invest in the Fifth District race, an acknowledgement of the strong support she enjoys from 5th District voters evidenced by resounding victories both in the election and recent Democratic primary race.
Speaking at the DFL watch party at the InterContinental Hotel in St. Paul, Omar addressed jubilant supporters and thanked them for trusting her leadership but that a tough road lies ahead “Because no matter who the next president is, it’s going to be up to us to push for the progress we want to see, strengthening workers’ rights, restoring abortion rights, passing urgent climate action, bringing an end to the genocide in Gaza, and much much more.”
Mshale Photojournalist Jasmine Webber contributed to this story.
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About Tom Gitaa Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief
Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the boards of New Vision Foundation and the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.
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