[ad_1]
Jamaican-born Don Samuels makes second attempt to oust Congresswoman Ihan Omar Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. The primary has been closely watched after two members of Omar’s so-called “squad” lost in the primary earlier this year.
With 95% of the votes counted, Omar received 67,920 votes, or 56.2%, while Samuels received 51,839 votes, or 42.9%. Samuels first ran against the congresswoman in 2022 and lost by more than 2,500 votes.
In 2022, Omar received more than 57,000 votes, or 50.3%, while Samuels received 56,000 votes, or 48.5%.
As the Democratic candidate, Samuels hopes he can successfully defeat the three-term congresswoman this time.
Whoever wins the Democratic primary is virtually certain to become a member of Congress in a heavily Democratic congressional district. Samuels is a longtime community activist and former Minneapolis City Council member.
– advertise –
Don Samuels, brother of lawyer Bert Samuels, was born in Lussey, Hanover, lived in St Mary’s and moved to Kingston when he was nine. He attended Swallowfield Primary School, Calabar High School, Manning School and Meadowbrook High School. He worked for Things Jamaica and the Tom Redcombe Library before emigrating to the United States on a scholarship.
After arriving, he settled in Brooklyn and attended Pratt Institute, where he studied industrial drawing. Samuels is also a graduate of Lutheran Seminary. About 22 years ago, he settled in Minneapolis.
After a successful career in the private sector, he won a seat on the Minneapolis City Council in 2003. He spent much of his time on the council sounding the alarm about youth violence in Minneapolis.
Ten years later, Samuels announced his candidacy for mayor of Minneapolis, ultimately losing to Betsy Hodges.
Samuels later served on the Minneapolis Public Schools Board.
In 2021, Samuels and his wife, Sandra, successfully opposed an effort to abolish and replace the Minneapolis Police Department, urging residents to vote no on the November ballot question. Samuels said that while he and others are “not happy with the status quo,” they want to change the department within the existing framework.
Representative Omar, who has announced she is seeking a fourth term, was first elected to Congress in 2019, becoming the first Somali American to serve in both the Legislature and the Senate.
Omar won re-election in the 2020 election with 64.5% of the vote.
Although both are Democrats, Samuels said he disagrees with Omar on issues such as the “defund the police” movement and President Biden’s infrastructure bill, which Omar voted against.
[ad_2]
Source link
