Ilhan Omar clinches victory in closely watched primary after two losses for the progressive 'Squad'

**WASHINGTON – Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., secured a victory over her moderate challenger on Tuesday, concluding a series of primaries in which the progressive “Squad” faced substantial opposition from pro-Israel groups.**

Omar, who is serving her third term, defeated Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member. She is anticipated to win reelection in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which remains solidly Democratic.

In a closely contested primary in 2022, Samuels lost to Omar by just over 2,400 votes. During that race, the United Democracy Project, a super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, invested $350,000 in Samuels' campaign in a last-minute effort to unseat Omar.

However, this year the PAC largely refrained from investing in Omar's race, in contrast to its involvement in other recent primaries.

The PAC focused its resources on challenging Reps. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., due to their outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The group spent at least $14.5 million and nearly $9 million in their respective races. Both Bowman and Bush lost to more moderate opponents, leading to criticism from progressives regarding the impact of outside spending on their defeats.

Although Omar is also a vocal critic of Israel's conduct in Gaza, her situation differed from her progressive colleagues, who faced their own controversies. Bowman faced scrutiny for pulling a fire alarm during a critical vote to prevent a government shutdown last year, and Bush is under federal investigation for allegedly misusing campaign funds for personal security.

Heading into Tuesday’s primary, Omar enjoyed a significant fundraising edge over Samuels. Her campaign spent $2.6 million on advertising, while Samuels’ campaign spent just $32,000, according to AdImpact.