Ilhan Omar Wins MN Primary Amid Unusual Vote Count

Aug 14, 2024, 02:36 AM

In the Democratic primary for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar secured a victory against challenger Don Samuels. The vote counting process in this district drew attention due to its unusual progression, with no votes reported for over an hour after polls closed and then a rapid jump from 5% to 99% counted within a short timeframe. This anomaly was highlighted as other districts in Minnesota reported significantly lower percentages of counted votes at the same time. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) chose to minimally involve itself in this race, possibly anticipating Omar's strong performance.