Excessive-profile “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar successfully closed the door on rumors she would search Minnesota’s open Senate seat in 2026, with an announcement launching a Home re-election bid.
“At a time when our rights are under attack, it is more important than ever to fight back against the chaos, corruption, and callousness of the Trump Administration,” the Minneapolis Democrat instructed Minnesota Public Radio.
“In Minnesota, we know that organized people will always beat organized money. Our campaign is ready to build on our successful grassroots organizing efforts to have a record turnout for the midterms and help win back the majority,” she stated.
She gained her final race for the fifth Congressional District seat handily, defeating Iraq-born Republican journalist Dalia al-Aqidi by about 50 factors.
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Omar had been one in every of a number of names bandied about as potential successors to Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., who introduced final month she wouldn’t search re-election.
Virtually instantly, fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan threw her hat within the ring, whereas Omar and different high potential candidates remained silent.
Certainly one of Omar’s fellow “Squad” members, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has been rumored as a possible 2028 major opponent to Senate Minority Chief Charles Schumer.
In February, Smith – who was initially appointed by then-Gov. Mark Dayton to succeed Sen. Al Franken after his resignation over sexual misconduct allegations – stated in February that she was able to spend extra time together with her household.
“This decision is not political, it is entirely personal, but it’s not lost on me that our country is in need of strong progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever,” Smith stated.
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz additionally declined to hunt Smith’s seat, leaving his deputy – Flanagan – because the highest-profile Democrat within the race to this point.
“At this point in time, I don’t want to have my thumb on the scale in any way,” Walz stated in February.
“I just know we’ve got a deep bench. We’ve got good folks,” stated Walz, who could as an alternative take into account a 3rd time period in St. Paul.
If elected, Flanagan – who’s Ojibwe – could be solely the fifth U.S. senator of Native American heritage and the second presently in workplace, alongside Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin.
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On the Republican aspect, retired Marine and Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze introduced a bid and referred to as it his “most important mission of them all.”
Moreover, former Sacramento Kings participant Royce White introduced his personal bid. White beforehand misplaced the 2024 GOP Senate major.
The race to succeed Smith would be the Land of 10,000 Lakes’ first open Senate race since 2006 – when Dayton declined to run for re-election and Sen. Amy Klobuchar defeated then-Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minn., by about 19 factors.
Franken has endorsed Flanagan.
Fox Information Digital reached out to Omar’s marketing campaign for additional remark however didn’t instantly hear again.