Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., won reelection Tuesday to a fifth term representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, taking more than 76 percent of the vote in the heavily Democratic Minneapolis-based seat.
Omar celebrated with supporters in Minneapolis that night, dancing on stage before addressing the crowd partly in Somali. The gathering came even as federal investigators continue examining allegations related to her immigration history and financial disclosures.
In her remarks, Omar criticized President Donald Trump, calling him a “bigot” and arguing that Democratic wins across the country on Election Day sent a message to the White House. She framed her own victory as a win for her community.
“When they decided that they were going to come for me, they thought that they were going to find someone who was going to cower,” Omar said. “They thought they were going to find a community that was going to live in fear. They thought that if you attacked me and you silenced me, that my community wouldn’t show up and vote.”
Omar’s emphasis on her community’s support follows earlier controversy over comments she made about Somalia. In January 2024, she delivered a speech in Somali at a Minneapolis event addressing a territorial dispute involving Ethiopia, Somaliland and Somalia. According to a translation reviewed by the Minnesota Star Tribune, Omar told the audience, “As long as I’m in Congress no one will take Somalia’s sea.” She also said the U.S. government would respond to the political demands of Somali Americans, citing their status as taxpayers and their having elected one of their own to Congress.
Those remarks drew criticism from Republicans, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who called for an ethics investigation, saying the comments raised questions about Omar’s obligations as a member of Congress.
The renewed attention to Omar’s past statements comes as she faces two federal investigations and after a search of her Washington, D.C., home last month. In response to that search, 175 Democratic lawmakers signed a letter condemning the action and accusing the administration of weaponizing law enforcement against her. Roughly 40 House Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, did not sign the letter.
In her victory speech, Omar also pointed to incoming House Oversight Committee Chairman Robert Garcia’s warning that the Trump family should “lawyer up,” saying the period of what she described as harassment from the administration was ending and that Democrats would pursue more aggressive accountability and transparency measures than they had in 2019.
Omar’s win came the same night Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, making El-Sayed the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. According to The Detroit News, unofficial returns showed El-Sayed winning 82 percent of the vote in Dearborn and 75 percent in Dearborn Heights. A survey of early voters cited by The Forward found nearly 60 percent of Jewish respondents backed El-Sayed despite controversy over his stance on Israel.
