Eyes are on Ilhan Omar's upcoming race after two members of 'the squad' lose their primaries

As primary election season begins to wrap up, a lot of focus will be turned to progressive Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar's district as two of her fellow "squad" members lost their primary elections earlier this year. 

Earlier this year, Reps. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., lost their primary elections. However, Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., won their primaries. 

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent a lot of money opposing Bush's and Bowman's primary races.

Members of "the squad" have been very critical of Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas. Some members have accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people and have openly called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.

Bush's opponent Wesley Bell's campaign received massive financial support from AIPAC, Federal Election Commission records show. 

Punchbowl News reports that AIPAC spent $6 million on Bell's campaign and $12.3 million on Bowman's opponent George Latimer's campaign.

Following her loss, Bush slammed AIPAC, saying she was going to tear their "kingdom down," later adding that "this other Cori" would be shown following her loss.

“Because now, there are some strings that I have attached," she said. "And as much as I love my job, all they did was radicalize me, and now they should be afraid."

When it comes to Omar's primary race, AIPAC has for the most part stayed out of it. She has significantly out-raised her opponent by thousands of dollars, according to Newsweek. 

The communications director of Justice Democrats, a PAC that supports members of the squad, said that they think AIPAC is staying out of Omar's race since they know she will win.

"I think they know that Congresswoman Omar is an extremely strong incumbent and has shored up a lot of local support and also has a pretty incredible record in the district of not only things like constituent services, but also leading on policies and initiatives that actually help everyday people in that district," Usamah Andrabi said in an interview with the Star Tribune.

"I think they know that she is a deeply formidable threat, and that's not to say that they won't spend money against her even so," she continued, referencing AIPAC.

Omar is running against former Minneapolis city council member Don Samuels whom she defeated by only two points during her 2022 primary.

The 2024 primary will take place on August 13. Samuels has accused Omar of being a divider instead of a uniter in Congress.

"The choice is clear: Rep. Omar has spent three terms in Congress dividing our neighbors and party, enriching herself, and voting against the values of our community," Samuels wrote on the social media platform, X. "I have spent a lifetime committed to our community and focused on improving safety, education, and opportunities for all my neighbors. For Goodness sake, vote on August 13!"

Omar has criticized her opponent for taking GOP donor money in the past. While she has out-raised him in the financial department, Samuels says he is confident he can win over undecided voters.

“When someone is undecided, that just means they're waiting for me,” he said during a door knocking event, according to MPR News. "They're waiting for you to tell them why you support Don Samuels.”