Ilhan Omar Snaps At Her Own Party After Socialist Candidate Loses Endorsement

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is furious with her own party after Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh, a self-styled socialist and fellow Somali immigrant, lost the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) endorsement over several irregularities with vote tabulation at last month’s convention.

Omar called out the DFL, the Democratic Party’s affiliate in Minnesota, late Thursday night after Fateh’s endorsement was revoked.

“It is inexcusable to overturn the DFL endorsement from Omar Fateh,” Omar posted on X. “A small group, a majority living outside Minneapolis, met privately to overturn the will of Minneapolis delegates who volunteered, organized, and participated in a months-long DFL process. Unacceptable.”

The far-left lawmaker also signed off on a letter penned by a handful of DFL lawmakers stating they “strongly condemn” the move. “Right now, there is a clear tension between the progressive Democrats who are challenging the status quo and moderate Democrats,” the letter stated.

“It is extremely disheartening that Omar Fateh, the first Black mayoral candidate to be DFL-endorsed in the last three decades, will have his endorsement revoked.”

Fateh speaks in his initial campaign announcement

Fateh secured an upset victory over incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey last month, which earned him the DFL endorsement after a highly controversial convention process. Frey’s supporters left the floor in protest after arguing that votes were not being properly tabulated, which led to a formal challenge filed earlier this month.

The endorsement was short lived, as Minnesota DFL chair Richard Carlbom announced that it will be rescinded in a statement Thursday.

“After a thoughtful and transparent review of the challenges, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee found substantial failures in the Minneapolis Convention’s voting process on July 19th, including an acknowledgement that a mayoral candidate was errantly eliminated from contention,” he said.

Carlbom added, “Now it’s time to turn our focus to unity and our common goal: electing DFL leaders focused on making life more affordable for Minnesotans and holding Republicans accountable for the chaos and confusion they’ve unleashed on Minnesotans.”

Omar accused the DFL of racism and silencing certain segments of the Democratic Party in the letter she penned with fellow progressive lawmakers.

“Chair Richard Carlbom campaigned on uniting the DFL; this decision directly runs counter to that effort, to which we are all committed. The DFL Party is a big-tent party and all factions should be fairly represented, not silenced,” Omar wrote.

“Undoubtedly, this appalling decision will leave many voters feeling discouraged and unwelcome from participating in our party.”

Fateh, who described himself as a “Democratic Socialist” in a 2020 interview with Jacobin Magazine, had drawn comparisons to New York City’s Zohran Mamdani due to his similar policy platform. Like Mamdani, Fateh has endorsed the idea of a rent freeze and has vowed to openly oppose the federal government’s immigration enforcement policies.

“Protecting all of our communities from Donald Trump means not letting MPD interact with ICE, whether it’s for an immigration raid or not. Our residents deserve a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and say, ‘No, not in our community,” he said in a July 13 video statement posted to X.

The DFL did not reference Fateh’s politics in rescinding its endorsement, instead pointing to documented errors with vote tabulation at the convention.