Ilhan Omar faces a strong challenge while GOP choose Senate candidate in Minnesota primaries

(The Center Square) – With Minnesota primaries Tuesday, there are a few key races to watch for.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar faces a rematch against former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels, who lost by 2.1% in the 2022 primary.

Republicans, meanwhile, are focused on picking a candidate too challenge incumbent US Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Omar was first elected in 2018, as the first Somali-American in Congress. Alongside Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, she is also the first Muslim-American woman in Congress.

While she defeated Samuels in 2022, their rematch is expected to be one of the closest watched races nationwide during this year’s primaries after two progressive “squad” members already lost their primaries — Cori Bush of St. Louis and Jamaal Bowman of New York.

In Minnesota primaries, voters can choose between a Democratic or Republican ballot.

Within the past week, Minnesota conservatives have encouraged voters on social media to pick the Democratic ballot to flip the primary.

Even Republican primary candidate, former NBA player Royce White, encouraged the plan.

“I will gladly give up 5,000 votes in the CD5 primary to accomplish this goal. Everywhere else in the state vote for Royce White for US Senate,” White wrote on X. “If you pull Democrat you can only vote Democrat for primary, that’s fine, we’ll see you in the general.”

White is the leading Republican candidate looking to defeat Democratic Klobuchar.

She is expected to win the Democratic nomination, while White received the state Republican party’s endorsement earlier in the year.

Some of White’s other notable endorsements include former Trump White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who is serving four months in prison on contempt charges.

Klobuchar has served in the US Senate since 2007. In 2018, she won reelection with 60.3% of the vote.