MN-05: Israel Hawks Are Spending Big To Unseat Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar

[RandySF]

Right-leaning pro-Israel groups are targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and outspoken critic of the Israeli government who is one of the most high-profile progressive members of Congress.

Antone Melton-Meaux, 47, the Minneapolis attorney seeking to unseat Omar, 37, in the state’s Aug. 11 Democratic primaries, raised more than $1.5 million in May alone.

Much of that cash comes from political action committees opposed to more U.S. pressure on the Israeli government. Two such groups, Pro-Israel America and NORPAC, have bundled upwards of $450,000 for Melton-Meaux to date.

These Israel hawks’ investment in unseating Omar follows an expensive and ultimately unsuccessful intervention on behalf of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel. Given Engel’s massive deficit in the in-person vote, the New York Democrat has all-but-officially lost to Jamaal Bowman, a progressive challenger who is more critical of Israel, in his June 23 primary.

Omar’s race provides this subset of pro-Israel activists and donors a fresh opportunity to demonstrate their strength after an embarrassing defeat.

“The stakes are high because Members of Congress are watching to see how much muscle these groups really have,” said Joel Rubin, a progressive foreign policy hand who ran Jewish outreach for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign and served as a senior official in the Obama administration’s State Department.




https://www.huffpost.com/entry/israel-antone-melton-meaux-ilhan-omar-minnesota-primary_n_5f0633a9c5b6480493caca13?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

[Thekaspervote]

1. This is just such a mess! I really wish Omar had behaved more like a congress person and

Less like like a giddy teenage girl.. have seen a lot of conduct unbecoming to her position!!

[calguy]

3. Agree 100%

Some of the junior congressional representatives decided to skip being freshmen and instead wanted to be congressional leaders in their first terms. It might not have been the best approach. That's not the way to build a consensus among seasoned legislators who have built things there for many years. Time will tell. Some will survive to serve another term, some may not. Time will tell.

[Blue_true]

5. Yes, I believe that she caused a lot of her own problems.

The hawks are just piling on.

[abqtommy]

2. Thanks for keeping me/us informed.

[dflprincess]

4. I wondered where his money was coming from

he's been running a lot of ads on local media.

Personally, if I were in that district I think I'd support John Mason in the primary though my research hasn't been that deep as I won't be voting in that race.

The real race in the 5th is the primary & there are so many running against Omar in it that I expect they'll split the "anti-Omar" vote and she will win both the primary & the general.

[Blue_true]

6. If she has a lot of opponents in the primary, I agree with your conclusion.

Her life story is such a great one, I just wish that she would show more discretion and political savvy and avoid making statements that can easily be distorted.

[comradebillyboy]

7. Omar might be better than a Republican but she's

a loose cannon who provides little value otherwise. I really don't think 'the squad' is an asset to the Democratic party.