Rep. Ilhan Omar, seven others to run for Congressman Ellison's open seat

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - State Rep. Ilhan Omar filed to run for Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District Tuesday. She is one of eight Democrats vying for Congressman Keith Ellison's open seat.

On Tuesday, Ellison announced he is not running for re-election to Congress and withdrew his filing for the Fifth District. He filed instead to run for Minnesota Attorney General. 

Omar became the nation's first Somali-American lawmaker when she was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2016. She represents District 60, which covers all of Minneapolis east of the Mississippi River, as well as some areas across the river from the University of Minnesota, including the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. 

State Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, state Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and former DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, realtor Frank Drake, Somali-American DFL Caucus founder Jamal Abdulahi, Julie Sabo and Minneapolis School Board member and Ellison's former wife Kim Ellison have also filed to run in the Fifth District. The deadline to file is Tuesday at 5 p.m. 

The candidates will face each other in the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 14.