First-term U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has won the DFL endorsement to run in the August primary election for the Minneapolis congressional seat long held by Democrats.
The party endorsement Sunday pits Omar against primary challenger Antone Melton-Meaux, an attorney and political newcomer.
The 37-year-old Omar was elected to Congress in 2018 after a rapid rise through the state Legislature. She's the first Somali-American elected to both a state Legislature and to Congress. She has been a target of conservatives in Washington where she has publicly sparred with President Donald Trump on Twitter.
Melton-Meaux has collected some high-profile endorsements from Minneapolis-area DFLers, and has had some success in fundraising, the Star Tribune reported. The Republican-endorsed candidate is Lacy Johnson, a north Minneapolis businessman.
The endorsement vote was done online over a nine-day period because of the coronavirus outbreak. Democrats have held the 5th District congressional seat since 1963.
DFLers in northeastern Minnesota's 8th District also voted to endorse health care advocate Quinn Nystrom to challenge Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber in November.
DFL Endorses Incumbent Ilhan Omar for Congressional Seat
