Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has secured a fifth term in office after defeating Republican nominee John Nagel in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District race.
Omar has represented the district, which includes Minneapolis and its inner-ring suburbs, since 2019. The district is considered the most Democratic in Minnesota and the nation.
She decisively defeated Julie T. Le, Abena McKenzie, Latonya Reeves and Nate Schluter in the August primary. She also received the endorsement of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party at its state convention in May.
READ: Minneapolis police raid home of Ilhan Omar’s son over allegations against his roommate (August 28, 2026)
“Thank you, Minnesota. Thank you for once again showing the world who we are and what we stand for. We rise above fear and division. We reject hatred and bigotry. We have each other’s back,” Omar said in a statement. She also described her victory as a “landslide”.
Omar’s victory comes despite facing criticism and accusations from Republicans over several issues. She has been a longstanding target of the Trump administration’s anti-immigration rhetoric, with administration officials also accusing her of fraud.
Last month, federal agents searched Omar’s home as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The Department of Justice confirmed that agents from Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant in the Washington area.
The department did not disclose further details about the investigation or identify the subject of the probe in its initial statement, according to The Associated Press.
The search prompted criticism from congressional Democrats over its timing, less than a month before the November midterm elections.
READ: Ilhan Omar’s sister linked to figures in Minnesota fraud scandal (July 26, 2026)
According to CBS News, the search was linked to an ongoing federal criminal investigation concerning immigration paperwork reportedly filed on Omar’s behalf by her late father when she was a child.
Nagel, a former Minnesota State Patrol trooper, told WCCO that he ran on a platform focused on strengthening fraud controls, protecting Medicare and Medicaid, pursuing reforms to the Affordable Care Act, upgrading border security and technology, and maintaining the nation’s “strong national defense.”
The Democratic Party saw a sweeping victory in the U.S. midterm elections, with the party reclaiming control of both chambers of Congress and making significant gains in traditionally Republican states.