As Election Day draws closer, one of the most interesting developments has been the rise of far-left liberals, particularly in the Midwest. While Minnesotans have always enjoyed a strange affinity for liberal politicians like Walter Mondale and Al Franken — and I know because I grew up there — the upcoming midterm races are showing this even more.
The most conspicuous example of this is the candidate running for Rep. Keith Ellison’s seat, Ilhan Omar. Omar is a bit of a one-hit wonder. She’s a Somali refugee and “political newcomer” who came out of nowhere and won a Minnesota state House race a couple of years ago, booting an incumbent who had held the seat for more than three decades. Despite her lack of experience or credentials, and several significant red flags, voters and the media remain mesmerized with her campaign, even before she won the Democratic primary in August, saying she “sets an example” and “breaks barriers.”
Still, as a candidate, Omar is as far-far left as possible.
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The Democratic nominee in Minnesota’s 5th congressional district pic.twitter.com/5aQstJ3RxX
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) October 28, 2018
She has also run a questionable campaign. The latest accusations include “financial improprieties that violate either Minnesota House rules or state campaign finance laws.”
Probably the worst and weirdest allegation of all is that some sources claim Omar married her own brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in order to cheat the immigration system and aid Elmi in obtaining citizenship. If true, it’s obviously a crime and would discredit much of Omar’s character.
Why would Minnesotans vote for her? Why would the major state media outlets paint her as a kind of local, female version of former President Barack Obama, such is their extreme adoration?
First, it’s important to realize the context of Omar’s race. The 5th Congressional District, which includes all of Minneapolis and several of its neighboring suburbs, represents a voting bloc which tends to lean more progressive.
Gregg Peppin is a Republican political consultant based in Rogers, Minn., north of the Twin Cities. He explained the political dynamics taking place now. “Democrats, especially in Minneapolis, really embrace identity politics. That’s what they practice. To them, Omar is a perfect example of this,” he told me recently over the phone. “The Minneapolis City Council is liberal — they are to Minnesota what San Francisco is to California. The Scandinavian sensibility people often refer to doesn’t exist in Minneapolis.”
This certainly does ring true with results from previous election cycles, although it appears Minnesotans seem to be favoring Democrats who are further to the Left every cycle. Perhaps they don’t realize how harmful progressive policies actually are to their lifestyle: At 9.8 percent, Minnesota has one of the highest income-tax rates in the country. Or, worse, perhaps they do realize it, and they value their far-left identity politics even more than keeping their hard-earned money.
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
