Democracy for America endorses Ilhan Omar for U.S. House in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District

Democracy for America (DFA) today endorsed Ilhan Omar in the race to replace progressive champion Keith Ellison as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District.

DFA has 22,942 members in Minnesota and more than one million members nationwide.

DFA Chair Jim Dean on the grassroots progressive organization's decision to strongly back Ilhan Omar in her race for Congress in the MN-05:

"State Representative Ilhan Omar is not only the ideal leader to build on Keith Ellison's progressive legacy in the U.S. House, she'll be a history-making trailblazer with the steel-spine needed to fight for the inclusive populist reforms Minnesota working families deserve.

"Democracy for America is particularly thrilled to endorse Ilhan Omar for Congress because of the base-building, enthusiasm-harnessing grassroots campaign we saw her run for her State House in 2016 where she increased voter turnout by a staggering 37%. Minnesota's 2018 races for governor and multiple races for Senate will likely be won or lost in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, making Ilhan Omar's tested and proven ability to energize, excite, and mobilize voters a critical asset for continued progress on racial and economic justice in Minnesota.

"Democracy for America members are excited to stand with Ilhan Omar because we know she'll be a transformative, inclusive populist champion in Congress and a critical leader in the victories Minnesota's progressive voters need to have this fall and in the years ahead.

"Ilhan Omar will be more than a vote in Congress, she'll be a voice for the progressive policies and priorities that people in her district and across the country need in Washington." -- Jim Dean, Chair, Democracy for America

As a part of its work in the 2018 election cycle, DFA intends to raise and spend more than $12 million in support of progressive candidates, make more than 2 million voter contacts, and support more than 250 candidates nationwide -- like Ilhan Omar -- in running inclusive populist campaigns committed to turning out the New American Majority of people of color and progressive white voters in November.

Minnesota State Rep. Ilhan Omar is the highest ranking Somali-American, Muslim woman elected in the United States. Despite staring down racist, sexist and xenophobic attacks, Omar won her state house race in 2016 with 80% of the vote and increased turnout by 37%. Currently serving in the Minnesota Legislature as the Assistant Minority Leader, Omar is also the Director of Policy & Initiatives for Women Organizing Women, an organization committed to engaging and empowering East African women to take civic leadership roles and see themselves as leaders within their communities. Born in Somalia, Omar's family fled the country's civil war and spent four years as a refugee in Kenya before coming to the United States in the 1990s. If elected, the mother of three will not only be a stalwart champion for criminal justice reform and Medicare for All, she'll make history as the first Muslim woman to serve in the U.S. Congress.

Democracy for America is a member-driven, people-powered progressive PAC with more than one million members nationwide committed to taking on income inequality, money in politics, and structural racism. Since its 2004 founding, DFA members have raised and contributed more than $54 million and made more than 21.9 million volunteer calls to help successfully elect 917 progressive candidates nationwide.