Minneapolis - St. Paul Metro

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A high-stakes showdown: 5th Congressional District Primary [Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder] (spokesman-recorder.com)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

“The choice is clear: Rep. Omar has spent three terms in Congress dividing our neighbors and party, enriching herself, and voting against the values of our community. I have spent a lifetime committed to our community and focused on improving safety, education, and opportunities for all my neighbors. For Goodness sake, vote on August 13!”

That's not very specific. What exactly has Ilhan Omar done that he doesn't like? This article isn't very informative, but looking around the site, other articles have more info:

“Locally, my opponent was a strident supporter of the defund the police movement, even rebuking President Barack Obama when he referred to it as a ‘snappy slogan’ that would make reform more difficult,” said Samuels. “Nationally, she also voted against President Biden’s signature infrastructure legislation,” he added.

In addition, Samuels points to Rep. Omar’s foreign policy record, citing her vote against aid to Ukraine, her opposition to sanctions against Russia and Turkey, and her statements regarding Israel since the war in Gaza.

EDIT: Not sure what vote about Ukraine aid he's talking about. She voted for aid to Ukraine according to this: https://omar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-omar-statement-foreign-aid-supplemental-bills

IIRC there was a bill that combined aid to Ukraine with aid to Israel, which I wouldn't fault her for voting against.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

She isn't on the Republicans for Ukraine report card because (duh!) she isn't a Republican, but the only criteria that would get her mildly dinged there would be that she didn't sign Discharge Petition 9 or 10. Republicans with identical records as Omar get an A - Excellent rating.

Early into the 2022 invasion, she was among fifteen Progressive Democrats to vote against the Consolidated Appropriations Act, receiving some press attention on that. Around the same time, she voted against the Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, criticizing it as a symbolic gesture substituted for practical assistance. Neither count on the above report card, but are examples Samuels might cite to impugn her record.

If I were in MN-5 voting singularly pro-Ukraine, there's little for Samuels to genuinely improve upon, and the pretense that he could suggests disingenuousness on the issue I wouldn't consider preferable.