Minnesota’s Largest Newspaper Endorses Ilhan Omar’s Primary Challenger

Minnesota’s largest newspaper, the Star Tribune, has endorsed Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) primary challenger, pointing out his “integrity and progress” as the main reason for their choice.

The decision from Omar’s hometown newspaper was announced Wednesday in an editorial, which concluded that Omar’s Democrat primary challenger, Antone Melton-Meaux, would be a better fit to represent the district in Congress. According to the paper, Omar is too concerned with picking fights from across the aisle.

“While Omar wants to lead a movement, Melton-Meaux seeks to serve the Fifth District,” the Star Tribune wrote. “There are many ways to fight for change, few of them easy when tackling entrenched systems and interests. Omar says she will ‘fight hard for big ideas.’ But the point of the fight, after all, is the change. And that often requires the ability to forge alliances and persuade.”

The paper also noted:

Omar’s 2018 victory launched her into the national spotlight as the first Muslim woman and first refugee elected to Congress. But her time has been marred by missteps, including remarks on Israel widely regarded as anti-Semitic, an outsized number of missed votes, and campaign-finance issues.

In addition to the criticism of Omar’s remarks on Israel, the paper also highlighted “that Omar has sent more than $1.6 million to her husband’s D.C. political consulting firm, E Street Group, and is herself the target of a Federal Election Commission complaint regarding travel expenses.”

“It is just these kinds of ethical distractions that the Fifth District could do without,” the paper stated. “In the Editorial Board interview, Omar took little responsibility for her rocky start, instead largely blaming her critics and saying her failing was perhaps in not realizing what a ‘special unicorn’ she would be in Congress.”