Ilhan Omar elected to U.S. House 5th District

Ilhan Omar won the U.S. House race in the 5th Congressional District. With this victory, she will be the first Somali-American elected to U.S. Congress.

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement:

“On a historic evening, voters in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District have elected Ilhan Omar to be the first Somali American elected to U.S. Congress. Ilhan’s victory is not just a victory for Minnesota, but it’s also a symbol of Minnesota’s love and embrace of our immigrant communities. Ilhan’s unquestioned progressive values will be a force on Capitol Hill as Democrats continue to work for a brighter future for all Minnesotans.”

LAST ELECTION: This is a very safe DFL seat. It is open, with the seat being vacated by Rep. Keith Ellison, who is running for Minnesota Attorney General. Ellison beat Frank Drake 69.1 percent to 22.3 percent in 2016. This seat has been held by Democrats since 1963.

DFL Candidate: Ilhan Omar. Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 60B, Minneapolis. She was first elected to the chamber in 2016. First Somali-American Muslim legislator elected to office in the United States. Born in Mogadishu and came to the US in 1995 at 14-years-old. 

Republican Candidate: Jennifer Zielinski. Was a candidate for District 6 representative on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. She was defeated in the general election in November of last year.