Ilhan Omar Learns Her Fate as Primary Race Called
Voters in one of the nation’s most heavily Democratic congressional districts have made their choice after a campaign that unfolded without the kind of major challenge seen in previous election cycles.
The result sets up another November contest for a nationally prominent lawmaker who has frequently clashed with President Donald Trump and made opposition to his immigration policies a central part of her political agenda.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has secured the Democratic nomination for another term representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, CBS News projected Tuesday, after capturing more than 80 percent of the primary vote.
Omar defeated Julie T. Le, Abena McKenzie, Latonya Reeves and Nate Schluter in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary for the Minneapolis-area seat she has held since 2019.
The congresswoman will face Republican nominee John Nagel in November after Nagel was projected to win his party’s primary with 52.1 percent of the vote.
Omar enters the general election as the heavy favorite because Minnesota’s 5th District is the most Democratic congressional district in the state and among the most Democratic districts in the country.
Her overwhelming primary victory also represents a significant change from 2024, when Omar faced a much more competitive Democratic challenge and won her primary by approximately 13 percentage points.
Omar subsequently won the 2024 general election by approximately 50 percentage points, demonstrating the substantial Democratic advantage in the district.
This year marked the first time the congresswoman did not face a major, well-funded Democratic primary opponent as she sought another term in Washington.
Le entered the race only weeks before the primary after attracting national attention during her work as a federal immigration attorney amid the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.
After reportedly being assigned nearly 90 immigration cases in less than a month, Le made headlines for telling a federal judge about the strain she was experiencing from the workload.
“This system sucks, this job sucks,” Le said during the courtroom episode, reportedly asking the judge to hold her in contempt so she could get “a full 24 hours of sleep.”
Omar, meanwhile, has said challenging Trump’s immigration crackdown remains one of her highest priorities as she seeks another term in Congress.
Her victory also comes amid continued tensions surrounding security at her public appearances and questions about federal law enforcement activity near one of her recent events.
Omar said Monday that a Homeland Security Investigations agent had been spotted outside a town hall she attended in Richfield, prompting questions from her office about why the agent was there.
“Instead of monitoring the area for those who might wish harm to me and my constituents, Richfield Police were required to devote time to investigating why an HSI agent was outside of a Congressional event in a vehicle with mismatched plates,” Omar said in a written statement.
“It also raises serious and uncomfortable questions about the purpose of HSI’s presence outside of my event,” she added.
Those concerns follow a January incident in which a man lunged toward Omar during a Minneapolis town hall and sprayed her with a substance authorities later determined was apple cider vinegar.
Omar said afterward that the incident would not prevent her from continuing to hold public events.
“I am really OK,” Omar told WCCO following the encounter. “What happened to me is not OK, but they picked the wrong person.”
“I am not one to be intimidated,” she added.
Omar has also remained a frequent political target of Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the congresswoman over immigration, her Somali background and her political positions.
With the Democratic primary now settled, Omar moves into the general election against Nagel with a substantial partisan advantage and an opportunity to secure another term representing the deeply Democratic Minneapolis-based district, WCCO reported.
The November contest will determine whether Omar returns to Washington for another term as her clashes with the Trump administration, particularly over immigration enforcement, remain central to her political profile.
BREAKING: Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed: ‘Brief Battle’
Dolly Parton’s death came after a brief battle with cancer, her representatives revealed Tuesday.
The country music legend died Aug. 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. She was 80.
Parton had been admitted to the cancer center Friday, four days before her death. Her representatives confirmed the cancer diagnosis in a statement to PEOPLE but did not disclose what type she had.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” the statement read.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.
The “Jolene” singer had also been dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues before her death, PEOPLE previously reported.
Just days earlier, Dolly Parton opened up about her declining health and acknowledged that she had put off addressing some medical issues while caring for her husband, Carl.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over [my husband] Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton told PEOPLE.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in an Instagram video Tuesday on behalf of the Parton and Owens family.
“My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he says in the video.
Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, said she had asked him years earlier to deliver the announcement.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver said the moment brought immense pride and heartbreak, but he took comfort in his faith that Parton had been reunited with Carl and other loved ones.
Seaver added: “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless othe
Shocking 'truth' behind Prince Harry's decision to quit major role
Prince Harry should have "resigned in disgrace" from the board of a controversial African wildlife charity, a commentator says. James Walker makes the bombshell remark in Wednesday's episode of this publication's podcast, Daily Expresso.
He and the show's host, JJ Anisiobi, delve into the Duke of Sussex's dramatic decision to step down from African Parks. James, commenting on the controversy, said: "When you hear about this stuff and how long it's been going on for, you should be resigning in disgrace. [Harry] should be saying: 'I'm not touching that with a barge pole. That is a failed entity. We're going nowhere near it'.
"But no. He's still saying he's going to 'support their mission'. And again this Caroline Pearce, executive director of Survival International, goes on to say: 'His departure doesn't undo that record'.
"She alleged that African Parks was aware of the abuses for years, but it was only after Survival complained to Harry that the charity finally commissioned an investigation."
James added: "Well, she's got a point."
It emerged on Monday (August 24) that Harry was no longer a board member of the wildlife charity.
The conservation organisation has admitted that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers against members of the semi-nomadic Baka group in Congo-Brazzaville.
African Parks has said since that it has improved its safeguarding processes both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally.
Its admission followed an independent human rights investigation into allegations guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped and tortured indigenous people in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Harry was president of the charity for six years before he became a member of its board of directors in 2023.
A spokesman for the Duke said he remains an active and avid supporter of African Parks. He added: "The Duke is proud of his 10 years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board.
"His commitment to conservation in Africa continues and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission."
Human rights organisation, Survival International, said it had been calling on Harry to step down from African Parks for years.
The group's director, Caroline Pearce, said in a statement: "It’s outrageous that for 10 years Prince Harry has served African Parks while the organisation has been responsible for abuse and violence against Indigenous people.
"His departure doesn't undo that record — African Parks itself must now be held accountable, and must abandon this model of fortress conservation for good."
Survival International said indigenous peoples know how best to manage their land and the idea outsiders know better is racist and colonial.
