Don Samuels is waging his Democratic congressional primary battle against nationally-known U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar in hopes Minneapolis voters will reject his campaign as they did in last year’s controversial police ballot measure.
Omar, seeking a third term representing Minnesota’s fifth congressional district, supported the proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety. Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council and School Board member, helped organize the successful campaign to defeat her.
“It was the straw, actually, it kind of broke the camel’s back for me, that the neighborhood wasn’t going to be well serviced and she might be there for a long time,” said Samuels, 73, a Jamaican immigrant. who began organizing against gun violence about 25 years ago after a bullet pierced his north Minneapolis home.
Tuesday’s DFL primary election in the Fifth District marks the latest chapter in the struggle between moderates and progressives in Minneapolis and across the country, as Omar and Samuels clash over how to reform the police, fight crime and protect abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
The first Somali-American elected to Congress, Omar, 39, said her advocacy for far-reaching action to tackle climate change, expand abortion rights, cancel student loan debt and overhauling the police line up with “bold changes” from its constituents in Minneapolis and eastern Hennepin County. want to.
Last month, Omar was arrested during an abortion rights protest outside the US Supreme Court.
“I have always been on the front line advocating for the extension of our liberties and liberties in this country,” Omar said.
The congresswoman said she was not surprised to face a well-funded second primary opponent. Her outspoken and unapologetic approach, echoed by other members of the progressive “Squad,” made her a polarizing figure within the Democratic Party, often clashing with her more moderate colleagues and drawing Republican criticism.
“When you push power, power pushes back,” Omar said.
Democrat Antone Melton-Meaux captured national attention in his 2020 bid to unseat Omar, raising millions of dollars. But Omar easily beat him by almost 20 percentage points.
Samuels has raised less money than Melton-Meaux, but believes Omar’s support to replace the Minneapolis police force has left her vulnerable. He lobbied for more officers amid rising violent crime, and he and his wife, Sondra Samuels, successfully sued to compel the city to increase police numbers.
Some prominent opponents of the 2021 ballot measure, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, endorse Samuels. Frey’s support for Samuels came after Omar endorsed two of his mayoral candidates last year and encouraged Minneapolis voters not to rank him on their ballots.
“Don has been an advocate for his community on the Northside for decades, and someone who has worked with city leaders to bring investment to underserved communities,” Frey said in a statement.
Minneapolis City Council Speaker Andrea Jenkins praised Omar for supporting a different vision of public safety for the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
“We really need to transform the way we provide public safety. To keep doing the same thing, we’re going to keep getting the same results,” Jenkins said.
Omar accused Samuels of not challenging the status quo. He served three terms on the city council and chaired its public safety committee, but the Minneapolis Police Department’s crime and culture issues remain, she said.
On council, Samuels said he helped create city policy making it easier for ex-criminals to find jobs and held vigils for victims of gun violence in the city’s north end. After a police officer killed Philando Castile during a routine traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Samuels, then a private citizen, started a program where officers gave people vouchers instead of tickets to replace broken lights .
Although Omar and Samuels disagree on the best way to prevent crime, they both support legislation to reform police practices and hold officers accountable for misconduct. Samuels said he supports Omar’s bill to limit no-knock warrants.
The two Democrats have also said they want to codify abortion rights into federal law. But Omar wondered how hard Samuels would fight for reproductive rights, noting that one of his paid activists opposes abortion.
“It’s a very personal issue for me, for my daughters and for many people who rely on us,” Omar said.
Omar was referring to Victor Martinez, a pastor who helps Samuels’ campaign with outreach to Latino voters. Martinez has said he opposes abortion, with exceptions for rape and incest, but did not express that belief while campaigning for Samuels.
Samuels said he “didn’t have a questionnaire that I have people fill out when they volunteer for my campaign” and reiterated his support for abortion rights.
The Democrat said he was comfortable working with both political parties and would seek to meet with all members of Congress. Such bipartisanship, Samuels hopes, would help advance key Democratic priorities such as universal background checks on gun sales.
“A House divided against itself cannot stand,” Samuels said, adding that he would work with Minnesota’s congressional delegation more than Omar.
Samuels and his supporters criticized Omar for breaking ranks with fellow Democrats in key votes. She voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Russian oil sanctions and tighter US Capitol security after the January 6, 2021 riot.
“You can’t always be one-sided on the edge or in the lead because people won’t be comfortable working with you,” said former Minnesota Secretary of State Joan Growe, who has endorsed Samuels.
Omar’s votes and words sometimes attract negative attention. A leading critic of the Israeli government in Congress, she has apologized for past remarks about Israel that were deemed anti-Semitic.
His supporters and opponents disagree on his popularity in his district. A widely circulated video of Omar being booed while on stage at a Target Center concert last month instantly became fodder for his detractors.
“These boos were a direct reflection of their displeasure,” said GOP-endorsed Fifth District candidate Cicely Davis. She will face Republican main opponents Royce White and Guy Gaskin on Tuesday. Republicans haven’t won the Fifth District in decades.
Omar insisted the video was misinterpreted, saying she arrived late to present the singer with an award and thus interrupted the performance.
“It wasn’t the best time to interrupt people who paid a lot of money,” Omar said.
Opponents of Samuels note that he has had his own controversies. Samuels once made a much-criticized remark that North High School in Minneapolis should be burned down. He said the statement was made out of frustration with low graduation rates and meant metaphorically that the school “needed a drastic change”.
In March, when Samuels was criticized for not adequately chaperoning a child who had drowned under his and his wife’s watch, he responded with an offhand comment, tweeting “can’t swim but can rule.” Many condemned his remark and he later apologized.
The DFL’s fifth district primary ballot also includes candidates AJ Kern, Albert Ross and Nate Schluter.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who represented the Fifth District before Omar, said the congresswoman struck a good balance between advocating for progressive policies and providing resources to her district.
Earlier this year, Omar secured $17 million in federal funding for local projects, including money for a clinic on E. Lake Street and to add sprinklers to the last of the aging high-rise public housing buildings. of Minneapolis, spurred by the 2019 fire at Cedar High Apartments that killed five people.
“She represents workers,” Ellison said. “She represents the creation of prosperity for middle and low income people.”
startribune Gt Itly