Campaign

Democrat Ilhan Omar wins Minnesota House race

by Emily Birnbaum - 11/06/18 9:35 PM ET

Democrat Ilhan Omar easily won over Republican opponent Jennifer Zielinski in the race to replace Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.

Omar and Michigan House candidate Rashida Tlaib (D) are poised to become the first two Muslim-American women to serve in Congress after their wins on Tuesday.

Omar will also become the first Somali-American member of Congress.

{mosads} Omar, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee, was largely favored to win the blue Minnesota district, which hasn’t sent a Republican to Congress since 1962. The district includes Minneapolis and its surrounding suburbs.

The Minnesota state congresswoman ran a progressive platform that included “Medicare for all,” criminal justice reform and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

She is a Somali refugee who came to the U.S. at 12 years old, and she often speaks out against President Trump’s travel ban against Muslim-majority countries.

Omar beat out five other Democratic contenders for Ellison’s seat.

“We did this together,” Omar tweeted. “Thank you!”