Ilhan Omar likens opponent Don Samuels’ supporters to ‘literal Nazis’ after winning Minnesota primary

SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA: US Representative Ilhan Omar recently secured a major victory in the primary election for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, successfully fending off a challenge from former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels.

Omar’s triumph is a huge win for progressives in Minneapolis and reflects the continued support for her among constituents, despite the intense criticism and controversy that has surrounded her tenure.

However, immediately after her win, she made a controversial remarks against Samuels and his supporters for which she faced backlash online.

Ilhan Omar's controversial remark and social media backlash

One of the most striking moments of the election night came during Ilhan Omar’s speech at her watch party.

“This campaign has been one of the ugliest, most disgusting (campaigns) against me that I have ever, ever witnessed,” Omar said. “We had an opponent that was willing to align with literal Nazis in order to defeat us.”

These remarks sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with many condemning her for the comparison.

"I thought Nazis wanted Jews to die? That’s what I was taught. If so wouldn’t that make her a Nazi?" one posted on X.

"Antisemitic terrorist sympathizer (Khamenei, Assad, Hamas, others) calls moderate Americans literal Nazies after a very suspicious election result. @IlhanMN," another wrote. 

"@IlhanMN has not accomplished anything in Congress. All you Death Cult voters in Minnesota are giving your votes away to a criminal who launders money to her husband & family. You will never get anything from this Jew-hater Nazi lover," a third user alleged.

"I wish I could see more of her supporters because I do not understand why you’d support her, like I don’t get it. Help lol," someone else added.

"She called pro-tax politician supporters national socialists while being one herself. But I think the innuendo is the problem here: the particular abbreviation that she used has been linked to particularly well-known socialists who did a lot of socialist things," read a comment.

"How graceful Maybe she should name the Nazis, now it's just a buzzword with the left," another chimed in.

Minnesota primary election and its outcome

On Tuesday, August 13, Ilhan Omar emerged victorious in the primary election, according to unofficial results. This win virtually guarantees her return to Washington for another term, given the minimal opposition she faces in the upcoming November election.

Omar’s victory comes amid a broader political landscape where two other members of the progressive 'Squad' were ousted in recent Democratic primaries, largely due to their stances on issues related to Israel and Palestine.

However, Omar’s strong stance against Israel’s war in Gaza and her broader progressive agenda resonated with voters in her district, helping her secure the nomination once again.

Unlike the other primaries involving 'Squad' members, the race for Minnesota’s 5th district did not see the same level of outside spending. Nevertheless, it was a closely watched contest, particularly given Samuels' performance in the previous election.

In 2022, Samuels lost to Omar by a narrow margin of just about 2 percentage points. This year, he aimed to capitalize on his near success by arguing that Omar’s focus on national and international issues had left Minneapolis without effective leadership to tackle local challenges, Minnesota Reformer reported.

Ilhan Omar’s campaign strategy and future aspirations

In contrast to her approach in 2022, when she largely ignored Don Samuels’ campaign, Ilhan Omar took this year’s challenge seriously. She campaigned vigorously, spending $450,000 on advertising in the lead-up to the primary, according to a July campaign finance report.

Her efforts paid off, as her margin of victory in this year’s primary was larger than in 2022, signaling strong support from her base.

Omar’s focus on progressive issues has made her a polarizing figure, but it has also solidified her standing among those who share her vision.

Looking ahead, Omar hopes that a Democratic majority in the House will allow her to return to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, from which she was removed by the Republican majority over allegations of antisemitism.

Despite the controversies surrounding her, Omar continues to enjoy strong support from many of her constituents. Katherine Byrn, a 53-year-old teacher at the University of Minnesota, expressed her enthusiasm for Omar, stating that she voted for her because she “kicks a**”.

Similarly, Kerry Newstrom, a 45-year-old high school teacher in northeast Minneapolis, emphasized the importance of having women in elective office and voiced her support for Omar, referring to herself as a “childless cat lady” in a humorous nod to disparaging comments made by Republican vice presidential nominee, JD Vance.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.