A Somali-born woman is running for U.S. House as a Republican, specifically for the seat currently occupied by Rep. Ilhan Omar, who also hails from Somalia.
Shukri Abdirahman, a U.S. Army combat veteran and mother, is looking to defeat Omar in the 2022 midterm elections and send a message to the “self-aggrandized political class.”
On Monday Abdirahman posted a campaign video to Twitter describing the tribulations of her life as a war refugee in Kenya, as a longtime member of the military who saw action in Iraq, and as a now-single mother of three whose PTSD-afflicted husband had abused her.
“It wasn’t easy surviving domestic abuse and taking on my newfound role as a single mother, struggling to care for them, at one point homeless, living in our car, poor and tired,” she said. “But my hand is not out. I still believed in the American dream, resistant to become helplessly dependent on a system I’ve seen vulnerable communities and so many of my brothers and sisters become enslaved to, rather than empowered to truly prosper in the Land of the Free.”
Although not mentioning Omar by name in the video, Abdirahman criticizes the political “elite” who “disappear and abandon us after election season is over” while brief clips and images of Omar are depicted.
However, she does mention Omar in her tweet of the video: “Ilhan Omar was given a second chance when America took her in — but chose to ridicule the very country that saved her life.”
Ilhan Omar was given a second chance when America took her in — but chose to ridicule the very country that saved her life.
When I was welcomed as a legal American citizen. I responded by joining the U.S. Army.
Now I’m taking a stand to give hope to the people of Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/yVqZPN0lWT
— Shukri Abdirahman (@ShuForCongress) February 28, 2022
Abdirahman is not the only Republican challenger running for the seat of Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District. A former professional basketball player and mental health advocate, Royce White, has also thrown his hat in the ring.
“I’m running for Congress because our leaders have sold us out,” he said in his campaign launch video. “We have to fight for freedom. We have to protect our communities. We have to restore what it means to be an American citizen. We have to fight the momentum of globalism.”
In his campaign video, White mentioned Omar by name, calling her a “globalist” and a “puppet for the establishment.”
The other declared Republican candidate in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District is Cicely Davis. The Republican primary takes place on Aug. 9.
Evan Stambaugh
Evan Stambaugh is a freelance writer who had previously been a sports blogger. He has a BA in theology and an MA in philosophy.
