Ilhan Omar faces tough primary vote in her Minneapolis district

Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the so-called ‘squad,’ is facing the toughest primary battle of the progressive female foursome who were elected to Congress in 2018. 

Voters in her Minneapolis, Minnesota district head to the polls Tuesday as she’s joined on the ballot by Antone Melton-Meaux, who’s used pro-Israel dollars to mount a significant bid to unseat one of the House’s most prominent and controversial members. 

Melton-Meaux is a first-time candidate, a lawyer and a mediator, who’s used Omar’s national profile against her.  

Challenger Antone Melton-Meaux

ON THE BALLOT: Voters in Minnesota’s Fifth District will choose Tuesday between Rep. Ilhan Omar (left) and Democratic challenger Antone Melton-Meaux (right) 

Rep. Ilhan Omar has attracted controversy since entering Congress in January 2019. Within weeks she split House Democrats over comments she made about American support for Israel, that were widely perceived as anti-Semitic

Rep. Ilhan Omar has attracted controversy since entering Congress in January 2019. Within weeks she split House Democrats over comments she made about American support for Israel, that were widely perceived as anti-Semitic 

Rep. Ilhan Omar's (left) messy personal life also attracted unwanted attention to the freshman lawmaker. The now-twice divorced Omar was accused of having an affair with political consultant Tim Mynett (right) last summer. She married Mynett in March

Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (left) messy personal life also attracted unwanted attention to the freshman lawmaker. The now-twice divorced Omar was accused of having an affair with political consultant Tim Mynett (right) last summer. She married Mynett in March 

Antone Melton-Meaux (pictured) has taken advantage of Rep. Ilham Omar's national standing by suggesting she hasn't respresented her Minnesota district properly. He's also been aided by pro-Israel money after she was accused of making anti-Semitic comments

Antone Melton-Meaux (pictured) has taken advantage of Rep. Ilham Omar’s national standing by suggesting she hasn’t respresented her Minnesota district properly. He’s also been aided by pro-Israel money after she was accused of making anti-Semitic comments 

He managed to outraise Omar six-to-one during the second fundraising quarter of 2020, in part thanks to help from pro-Israel groups who were angered by Omar’s past anti-Semitic comments.   

He also received the endorsement of the Star Tribune, Minnesota’s largest newspaper. ‘While Omar wants to lead a movement, Melton-Meaux seeks to serve the Fifth District,’ the Star Tribune’s endorsement said. 

The nation’s first Somali-American congresswoman has been a lightning rod since coming to Washington, D.C.      

Omar kicked off her Congressional career in 2019 by splitting the new Democratic House majority over tweets she wrote that used anti-Semitic stereotypes. 

‘It’s all about the Benjamins baby,’ Omar famously tweeted, referring to American politicians’ support for Israel. 

Omar is one of only four Muslims to ever be elected to Congress.  

In response to her comments, the House twice voted on resolutions that condemned anti-Semitism – but also went after other types of bigotry – in an agreement between Omar’s detractors and defenders within the Democratic party. 

Omar’s messy personal life also produced headlines throughout her first year and a half in Congress.  

By the time she reached Washington, Omar had been married twice. 

She married Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi, the father of her three children, originally in their ‘faith tradition’ in 2002, but legally in 2018. The couple reconciled after she was married to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009 and divorced in 2017. The couple broke up in 2011, Omar said. 

Minnesota Republican operatives and later President Trump have made the unfounded claim that Elmi is Omar’s brother and she married him to help him enter the U.S. 

‘There’s a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother,’ Trump said in July 2019. ‘I know nothing about it. I hear she was married to her brother.’ 

The same month, divorce documents filed by Dr. Beth Mynett in D.C. court accused Omar of having an affair with her husband Tim Mynett, a political consultant who did work on Omar’s campaign. 

For months, DailyMail.com had captured Omar and Tim Mynett out together, but she denied the affair. 

Omar divorced Hirsi – who has since remarried – in October 2019. 

In March 2020, she announced her marriage to Mynett, once his divorce was also finalized.   

Melton-Meaux has argued that while Omar has received national attention, he would do a better job for Minnesota’s Fifth District’s constituents. 

‘I just felt like she was just engaged with too much outside the district and wasn’t back here with the people, making herself accessible and accountable,’ Melton-Meaux said in an interview with the Minnesota Reformer.  

The Star Tribune agreed. 

‘Omar’s 2018 victory launched her into the national spotlight as the first Muslim woman and first refugee elected to Congress,’ the editorial board wrote. ‘But her time has been marred by missteps, including remarks on Israel widely regarded as anti-Semitic, an outsized number of missed votes, and campaign-finance issues.’ 

Among Omar’s perceived financial issues include continuing to funnel money to her now-husband’s political firm. 

‘It is just these kinds of ethical distractions that the Fifth District could do without,’ the board said. ‘In the Editorial Board interview, Omar took little responsibility for her rocky start, instead largely blaming her critics and saying her failing was perhaps in not realizing what a “special unicorn” she would be in Congress.’ 

Omar has suggested Republicans are backing Melton-Meaux to push her out of Congress. 

‘The Republicans who fund Mitch McConnell and others have a very heavy-handed interest in a very imperialistic America,’ she told the Reformer. They ‘can’t fathom that somebody who they think sholud even be in this counry now has a voice in Congress and this is why they have their handpicked candidate.’    

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk