Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is two days away from a pivotal Democratic primary for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, facing a familiar challenger in former Minneapolis Councilman Don Samuels.

The outcome of this primary will effectively determine the district’s representative, given the absence of Republican representation since the 1960s, and the potential for Omar to be booted from Congress has "Squad" allies running scared, as the Washington Examiner reports.

Omar Faces Familiar Opponent

Omar, who has held her seat for three terms, is going up against Samuels once again, having narrowly defeated him in the 2022 primary by about 2,500 votes. This renewed challenge comes at a time when significant pressure mounts from both within and outside their district.

Campaigning just two days before the primary, Samuels criticized Omar's approach during her terms. He claimed that her leadership has been "divisive," which he believes has led to dissatisfaction among the voters.

"The voters have had three terms under Congresswoman Omar’s leadership and service. They are dissatisfied," Samuels asserted during his campaign.

Samuels’s Criticism and Campaign Messaging

Samuels's campaign has focused on portraying Omar as someone who alienates a significant portion of her district by pushing a singular point of view. He argued that this kind of divisiveness is detrimental to effective representation.

"She goes hard after one point of view, condemns the other point of view, alienates half of her district, and becomes divisive," Samuels added. He believes this divisiveness has only served to polarize the community further.

Despite his criticism, Omar countered by highlighting that many of Samuels’s policies are strikingly similar to her own. She pointed out that he seems to have adopted several of her positions.

Omar’s Response to Criticism

"He’s now adopted all of my policies because he knows those are winning policies," Omar stated, emphasizing the irony in Samuels's criticism. She expressed a desire for him to present an original platform rather than running with her policies.

"I hope we actually hear what he might want to do, instead of just taking my full platform and running with it," she added.

Omar also refuted claims of divisiveness, suggesting that anyone familiar with both candidates would know the truth of the matter. "Anyone who knows me and Don knows who the divisive one is," she said.

High Stakes in a Historical Context

The stakes in this primary are notably high. Recent political dynamics have the district on edge, especially after the unseating of Omar’s fellow “Squad” members, Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.

Their defeats were attributed partly to the financial contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to their opponents.

Omar has been critical of Israel, particularly during its military actions in Gaza, sharing a stance with Bowman and Bush. Unlike her colleagues, however, she has not faced similar financial opposition from pro-Israel groups in this campaign.

Instead, Omar has significantly outspent Samuels, highlighting a robust campaign strategy aimed at securing her fourth term.

Campaign Financing and Strategy

This financial advantage has allowed Omar to maintain a strong presence in the district as she heads into the primary. The disparity in campaign funds underscores the challenges Samuels faces in attempting to unseat the incumbent.

With two days left before the primary, both candidates are intensifying their campaign efforts. Samuels continues to leverage his message of anti-divisiveness while Omar doubles down on her established platform and record.

As the primary election looms, the focus in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District remains on whether Omar's track record will secure her another term, or if Samuels's renewed challenge will resonate with voters.