Former Minneapolis City Council member (Samuels) looks to unseat U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar

[question everything]

WASHINGTON – Former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels is launching a bid to defeat U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, giving the Democrat a prominent challenge from within her own party.

In an interview with the Star Tribune, Samuels contrasted his leadership style with Omar's. He noted her support of last fall's Minneapolis ballot question that could have replaced the city's police department with a new public safety agency following the police killing of George Floyd. The question divided some of Minnesota's leading Democrats before Minneapolis voters rejected the measure last November, with 56% voting against the change and close to 44% supporting the shift.

"Representative Omar has demonstrated she's out of touch with the residents of Minneapolis in the last election," said Samuels, 72. "And I've shown that I was very much in touch with the sentiments of the citizenry."

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While Samuels said housing and economic disparities are among the issues he will focus on in his campaign, he also pointed to Omar's decision to vote no on a U.S. Capitol Security spending bill last year, breaking with most House Democrats. Omar also bucked her party last November when she voted against a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package as she pushed for progress on a larger spending bill funding child care, universal preschool and the battle against climate change.

"I want to go to Washington to make a difference, not to make a point," Samuels said. "And I think Representative Omar has made points, a lot of points, and gotten a lot of press because of points [that] are controversial and they are dramatic. But they don't get things done. They're divisive."

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https://www.startribune.com/former-minneapolis-city-council-member-looks-to-unseat-u-s-rep-ilhan-omar/600154184/