Ilhan Omar, Member of ‘The Squad,’ Announces Re-Election Bid
With Minnesota’s Senate seat soon to be vacated, speculation had grown that Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar might aim for higher office. However, the congresswoman surprised many by revealing she will instead seek re-election to her current position in the House of Representatives.
Omar's decision avoids a potentially difficult statewide race, as she maintains strong support in her Minneapolis-based district, which has a significant Somali-American population. Running for Senate would have required her to broaden her appeal across the entire state.
“At a time when our rights are under attack, it is more important than ever to fight back against the chaos, corruption, and callousness of the Trump Administration,” Omar stated, according to MPR News.
“I am excited to announce I am running for reelection for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District to keep standing up for our rights in the face of authoritarianism,” she continued.
She added, “In Minnesota, we know that organized people will always beat organized money. Our campaign is ready to build on our successful grassroots organizing efforts to have a record turnout for the midterms and help win back the majority.”
The Senate seat in question is opening due to Democratic Sen. Tina Smith's upcoming departure. Smith shared her decision earlier this year in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026. This job has been the honor of a lifetime. For the rest of my term, I’ll work as hard as I can for Minnesotans and our country,” Smith said in a February post on X.
“This decision is not political, it is entirely personal,” she explained in a video message.
“After 20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector, I’m ready to spend more time with my family,” she added.
Omar’s announcement also comes amid speculation surrounding another prominent progressive: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Many anticipate she may challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for his seat in the near future.
A recent Data for Progress poll shows Ocasio-Cortez leading Schumer by 19 percentage points in a hypothetical 2028 Democratic primary. Although Schumer remains the Senate Democratic leader, the numbers suggest his support among the party base may be eroding.
Between March 26 and 31, the poll surveyed 767 likely Democratic primary voters in New York, asking who they would back in a head-to-head contest between Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez. The results: 55% supported Ocasio-Cortez, while 36% chose Schumer.
The data wasn’t an outlier. The same survey revealed Schumer holds the highest disapproval rating among Democratic leaders tested. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez ranked among the most favorable, just behind Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
This shift comes at a sensitive political time. Schumer recently joined forces with Senate Republicans to support a spending package negotiated with former President Donald Trump. Progressives have harshly criticized this move, arguing that Democrats should take a stronger stance against Trump's growing political reach.
A striking 84% of poll respondents said they believe Democrats in Washington aren’t doing enough to resist Trump and the MAGA movement—a warning signal for establishment leaders.
Ocasio-Cortez's popularity crosses a broad spectrum of voters. She leads Schumer by 50 points among voters under 45, and by 8 points among older voters. She also outperforms him among white, Black, and Latino voters, as well as across gender and education levels. Schumer's strongest support came only from self-identified moderates. Voters in the poll were given biographical information about both candidates.
Ocasio-Cortez saw her favorability rating increase from +59 to +69 after voters reviewed her personal story, 2018 primary win, and policy platform. Schumer’s favorability rose from +26 to +47, but the improvement didn’t alter the outcome of the head-to-head comparison.