*Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member, wants a rematch with Rep. Ilhan Omar after nearly defeating the congresswoman in last year’s Democratic primary,
On Sunday, Samuels announced plans to challenge Omar – a Somali American and Muslim – in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, the AP reports. Jamaican-born Samuels plans to run on a public safety platform, and he’s also passionate about a “crisis in leadership” that he attributes to political extremists on the far right and far left.
“Some people aren’t even watching the news,” Samuels told MinnPost.
His campaign will try to convince voters that Omar lacks “a history of bringing people together.”
“Our congresswoman has a predilection to divisiveness and conflict,” Samuels said in an interview with The Associated Press.
BREAKING: Former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels announces a rematch against Ilhan Omar in the Democratic primary. Samuels lost to Omar by just 2 points in 2022. pic.twitter.com/wL1SwRSg0R
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) November 12, 2023
In a statement to MinnPost, she said she would run for reelection based on her success in Congress.
“I’ve brought over $40 million to the district in the form of community projects — including a brand-new affordable housing facility for veterans in Robbinsdale that I toured this weekend,” Omar said. “As a leader of the House Budget Committee and Progressive Caucus, I’ve continued to fight for the progressive values Minnesotans sent me to advocate for — whether it’s fighting to codify Roe v. Wade into law, pushing for historic climate legislation, addressing the opioid crisis or fighting for an assault weapons ban.”
Samuels, meanwhile, thinks safety will be a top issue for American voters.
“The long tails of the George Floyd and COVID issues continue, with empty storefronts and empty strip malls because people don’t want to invest anymore. They don’t think it’s safe,” Samuels said.
My name is Don Samuels and I am running for Congress. In 2022, we came within a mere 2 percentage points, of unseating the incumbent, Rep. Ilhan Omar. The overwhelming support we received laid the foundation for a rematch that holds the promise of a better future for our district pic.twitter.com/tD3orW4eGG
— Don Samuels (@DonSamuelsMN) November 14, 2023
Recently, Samuels slammed Omar’s failure to condemn Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel in October.
“She could not admit to the horror of that,” Samuels said, according to MinnPost. “She doesn’t have the balance that’s needed.”
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