MINNEAPOLIS – Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton announced his support for state Rep. Ilhan Omar for Congress.
Omar joined several candidates in the race for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District last week after U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison announced he would be seeking the office of attorney general. Now Omar, the first female Somali legislator in the nation, has garnered the support of the outgoing governor.
In a statement released by Omar’s campaign, Dayton praised Omar saying she has shown “tremendous leadership” during her first term as a state legislator and would be a “leading voice for change in Washington.”
“Ilhan will be an outstanding Representative for the people of Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District and a leading voice for change in Washington,” Dayton said in a statement released on Friday.
The endorsement comes despite rising questions of Omar’s personal history and possible fraudulent marriage.
Alpha News previously reported on Omar’s immigration history after Powerline Blog writer Scott Johnson indicated Omar may have engaged in marriage fraud. Extensive research has revealed Omar may have married her brother Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in order to aid Elmi in obtaining citizenship. Omar filed for divorce from Elmi in May of 2017, and research indicates he now resides in London.
Omar has avoided addressing the questions surrounding her marriage to Elmi.
Omar has also made headlines recently as her anti-Israel views have come to the surface. Alpha News columnist John Gilmore recently highlighted a tweet from Omar in which she claims Israel “hypnotized the world” and called on Allah to “awaken people” to the “evil doings of Israel.”
Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. #Gaza #Palestine #Israel
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 16, 2012
Omar responded to Gilmore on Twitter, claiming “drawing attention to the apartheid Israeli regime is far from hating Jews.” In another tweet, Omar seemed to mock anybody who would interpret her tweet as anti-Semitic.
Drawing attention to the apartheid Israeli regime is far from hating Jews. You are a hateful sad man, I pray to Allah you get the help you need and find happiness. https://t.co/SvEXjlxlEN
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 31, 2018
Dayton did not acknowledge Omar’s radical views or questionable personal history. Dayton’s endorsement comes ahead of a special DFL endorsing convention for the congressional race. The last-minute convention will take place on June 17. According to the Secretary of State website, Omar faces five other Democratic hopefuls looking to succeed Ellison.
