One of at least eight candidates aiming to unseat U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., gave a brief reply this week after Omar posted six ways that she identifies herself.
“I am an American,” wrote Republican Dalia al-Aqidi, a former Iraqi refugee who hopes to replace Omar in representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
“That’s why I’m running for Congress,” al-Aqidi added.
The response came shortly after Omar’s Twitter message late Sunday, in which the freshman congresswoman listed ways that she describes herself.
“I am, Hijabi, Muslim, Black, Foreign born, Refugee, Somali,” Omar wrote.
Powerful teachers’ unions share striking link with states struggling to teach kids to read
Trump’s $5K checks could join stack of past unfulfilled promises, former Congress budget chief warns
Idaho prosecutors accuse Bryan Kohberger of ‘fishing’ to find better arguments for bid to withdraw guilty plea
Los Angeles NBC helicopter seen plummeting toward ground in dashcam video
Kamala Harris to Team Up with Radical Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Apparent Sign of Intent
Hyperbolic ‘Hottest Summer Ever’ Headlines Aren’t Meteorological Science
Trump seen reading plans for Kennedy Center ‘DEMOLITION’ during ride on Air Force One
Brandon Johnson’s latest viral moment sends Chicago critics into a frenzy: ‘What the actual F?’
Homeowners in the heart of America’s AI boom are getting an unexpected payoff
Rogue TX Police Dept. Arrests Woman for Criticizing Town’s Water, So State Disbands Entire Dept.
‘American Idol’ Moves Production from California to Georgia in Cost-Cutting Measure
Kavanaugh throws Trump ‘a lifeline’ on mail ballot rules despite Supreme Court loss before midterms
Explosive report exposes ‘dangerous imbalance’ in law school pipeline shaping how election cases are decided
States hold off on discarding 2024 ballots after DOJ notice
West Virginia woman charged in death of ill husband she left on toilet for 19 hours
Then, appearing to provoke her critics, Omar added, “Easily triggering conservatives, Right wing bloggers, anti Muslim bigots, tinfoil conspiracy theorists, birthers, pay me a [dollar] to bash Muslims fraudsters, pro-occupation groups and every single xenophobe since 2016.”
Omar ended the post with a laughing-face emoji and a GIF showing her addressing an audience, saying “Hello Hello!”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also blasted the Omar post, writing, “in today’s Leftist world of intersectionality, ‘American’ is deemed embarrassing & gauche.”
During an appearance on “Fox & Friends” in January, al-Aqidi, a journalist, spoke out against what she described as “hateful rhetoric” coming from Omar since she took office.
“As an American citizen, my duty is to defend my country and my duty is to stand up to her hatred and racism that she’s spreading within her community, within the country, and even worldwide,” al-Aqidi said. “Ilhan Omar is harming every American with her hatred, her standing against what we believe in, [and] against our own Constitution.”
Like Omar, al-Aqidi came to the U.S. with her family to flee a nation ravaged by war. But unlike Omar, al-Aqidi said she has stopped considering herself a refugee.
Powerful teachers’ unions share striking link with states struggling to teach kids to read
Trump’s $5K checks could join stack of past unfulfilled promises, former Congress budget chief warns
Idaho prosecutors accuse Bryan Kohberger of ‘fishing’ to find better arguments for bid to withdraw guilty plea
Los Angeles NBC helicopter seen plummeting toward ground in dashcam video
Kamala Harris to Team Up with Radical Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Apparent Sign of Intent
Hyperbolic ‘Hottest Summer Ever’ Headlines Aren’t Meteorological Science
Trump seen reading plans for Kennedy Center ‘DEMOLITION’ during ride on Air Force One
Brandon Johnson’s latest viral moment sends Chicago critics into a frenzy: ‘What the actual F?’
Homeowners in the heart of America’s AI boom are getting an unexpected payoff
Rogue TX Police Dept. Arrests Woman for Criticizing Town’s Water, So State Disbands Entire Dept.
‘American Idol’ Moves Production from California to Georgia in Cost-Cutting Measure
Kavanaugh throws Trump ‘a lifeline’ on mail ballot rules despite Supreme Court loss before midterms
Explosive report exposes ‘dangerous imbalance’ in law school pipeline shaping how election cases are decided
States hold off on discarding 2024 ballots after DOJ notice
West Virginia woman charged in death of ill husband she left on toilet for 19 hours
“I came to the U.S. more than 25 years ago. So, basically, I’m not a refugee anymore. I’m not an Iraqi anymore. I’m an American. Period,” she said on “Fox & Friends.”
Omar’s comments about Israel have frequently drawn accusations that she is anti-Semitic. But the congresswoman has insisted she opposes all forms of bigotry.
Like al-Aqidi, many commenters on social media this week were quick to notice that Omar had opted not to describe herself as an American.
“Hmm. I don’t see that you identify as a US citizen???” one commenter wrote. “You should not be in Congress!”
“Not surprising that you didn’t identify at all as American,” another wrote. “I have no problems with any of the above except that. You were elected by Americans to serve Americans. Thank goodness you don’t purport to represent me.”
“She leaves out American,” another Twitter user wrote. “Doesn’t even occur to her.”
Others offered other suggestions that Omar could add to her description list.
“And a one and done congressperson,” one commenter wrote.
Still others reacted by saying Omar’s attention seems directed away from her Minnesota constituents.
“That’s a lot about you,” one person wrote. “Can we talk about our state of Minnesota now and what we are working on here? I really tire of how much you focus on… well, you.”
Powerful teachers’ unions share striking link with states struggling to teach kids to read
Trump’s $5K checks could join stack of past unfulfilled promises, former Congress budget chief warns
Idaho prosecutors accuse Bryan Kohberger of ‘fishing’ to find better arguments for bid to withdraw guilty plea
Los Angeles NBC helicopter seen plummeting toward ground in dashcam video
Kamala Harris to Team Up with Radical Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Apparent Sign of Intent
Hyperbolic ‘Hottest Summer Ever’ Headlines Aren’t Meteorological Science
Trump seen reading plans for Kennedy Center ‘DEMOLITION’ during ride on Air Force One
Brandon Johnson’s latest viral moment sends Chicago critics into a frenzy: ‘What the actual F?’
Homeowners in the heart of America’s AI boom are getting an unexpected payoff
Rogue TX Police Dept. Arrests Woman for Criticizing Town’s Water, So State Disbands Entire Dept.
‘American Idol’ Moves Production from California to Georgia in Cost-Cutting Measure
Kavanaugh throws Trump ‘a lifeline’ on mail ballot rules despite Supreme Court loss before midterms
Explosive report exposes ‘dangerous imbalance’ in law school pipeline shaping how election cases are decided
States hold off on discarding 2024 ballots after DOJ notice
West Virginia woman charged in death of ill husband she left on toilet for 19 hours
According to the election website Ballotpedia, at least three Democrats will challenge Omar in the party’s primary election Aug. 11. They are community organizer John Mason, lawyer Antone Melton-Meaux and community clinic founder Leila Shukri Adan.
At least five Republicans are vying for Omar’s House seat as well. They are al-Aqidi and technology professional Lacy Johnson, special education professional Danielle Stella, minister Lucia Vogel, activist Alley Waterbury and former sales manager Brent Whaley.
Story cited here.
