Ahead of August primary, incumbent Rep. Ilhan Omar feels "pretty positive"
MINNEAPOLIS -- In just over two weeks Minnesota voters will go to the polls in the Aug. 9 primary election.
One of the key races is in the 5th Congressional District matchup between Rep. Ilhan Omar and Don Samuels.
The 5th Congressional District covers all of Minneapolis and incudes inner ring suburbs like St. Louis Park, Golden Valley and Hopkins. It's the most Democratic district in the state, with 29% more Democrats than the national average.
And that's why the primary is so important. Whoever win the DFL primary has an overwhelming chance to be elected to Congress in November.
Omar is running for her third term, and is facing Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member and community activist. He was one of the leaders of the effort to defeat a referendum last fall which would have replaced the Minneapolis Police Department with a department of public safety. Omar was for that amendment.
Omar has continued to face her share of controversies. Last week she and other lawmaker were arrested at a pro abortion rights demonstration outside the Supreme Court. But within her district Omar has been overwhelmingly popular. In 2020 her primary challenger spent $4.6 million and still lost by 20 points.
Omar was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning.
"I feel great. We have had multiple conversations with voters, we have been out talking to people," Omar said. "People are excited. They know that we have been working hard in Congress delivering for them and we feel pretty positive going into the Aug. 9 primary."
Omar has raised $2.3 million for her reelection this year. Samuels has raised about $900,000.
There is a Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District. Two of the candidates are former basketball star Royce White and Cicely Davis, the state director of the anti-poverty organization Blexit.
You can watch WCCO Sunday morning every Sunday at 6, 7 and 10:30 a.m.
