Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), one of the most controversial figures in the Democratic Party, faces a rematch Tuesday night against a challenger who nearly ousted her in a primary last cycle.

But this year, Omar says she’s prepared, and observers expect her to glide to victory in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District primary against establishment Democrat Don Samuels.

The race underscores the radically different situations “squad” members find themselves in as they work to keep their seats against a flood of funding from pro-Israel groups.

“Despite last-ditch efforts by right-wing interests and Trump donors to boost her opponent, the people of MN-05 know Ilhan Omar is the representation they deserve to have in Congress,” said Usamah Andrabi, communications director for Justice Democrats, who is backing Omar against the former Minneapolis city councilor.

Running for a fourth term, Omar has been one of the most divisive members of Congress since she was first elected in 2018. A Muslim American of Somali descent, she’s been a reliably staunch critic of the Israeli government on Capitol Hill, a stance that has alienated her from many Democrats and necessitated more security for her after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas.

To her detractors, Omar’s sharp position on Israel has defined much of her public persona and has made her a target of leaders, donors and activists who see her as problematic when intolerance against Jewish Americans is on the rise. Many moderates consider Omar the most fringe member of the left, and in 2022 she barely scraped by in her primary, defeating Samuels by under 3,000 votes.........

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