J’can candidate again fails to unseat Congresswoman IIhan Omar

NEW YORK:

Jamaica-born Don Samuels has failed in his second try to unseat Congresswoman IIhan Omar in Minnesota’s 5th congressional district. The primary election was closely watched after two members of the so-called “squad”, of which Omar is a member, were defeated earlier this year in their primary elections.

With 95 per cent of the votes counted, Omar received 67,920 votes, or 56.2 per cent, while Samuels received 51,839 votes, or 42.9 per cent. Samuels first ran against the congresswoman in 2022, losing by just over 2,500 votes.

In 2022, Omar polled just over 57,000 votes, or 50.3 per cent, to Samuels’ 56,000 votes, or 48.5 per cent for Samuels.

Running on the Democratic Party ticket, Samuels was hoping that this time around he would have been successful in defeating the three-term congresswoman.

Whoever wins the Democratic primary is almost a shoo-in to become the congressional representative in the heavy Democratic-Congressional district. Samuels is a long-time community activist and a former Minneapolis City Council member.

The brother of attorney, Bert Samuels, Don Samuels was born in Lucea, Hanover, lived in St Mary and moved to Kingston at nine years old. He attended Swallowfield Primary, Calabar High, Manning’s School and Meadowbrook High School. He worked with Things Jamaica and the Tom Redcam Library before migrating to the United States on a scholarship.

On arrival, he settled in Brooklyn and attended Pratt Institute where he studied industrial drawings. Samuels is also a graduate of the Luthern Seminary. He settled in Minneapolis some 22 years ago.

After building a successful career in the private sector, he won a seat on the Minneapolis City Council in 2003. He spent much of his time on the council sounding the alarm about youth violence in Minneapolis.

Ten years later, Samuels announced his bid for mayor of Minneapolis, eventually losing to Betsy Hodges.

Samuels later served on the board for Minneapolis Public Schools.

In 2021, Samuels and his wife Sondra successfully campaigned against efforts to abolish and replace the Minneapolis Police Department, urging residents to vote no on a November ballot question. Samuels said, while he and others were “not satisfied with the status quo”, they hoped to change the department within the current framework.

STYLE OF SERVICE

Rep Omar, who had announced her intention to seek a fourth term, was first elected to Congress in 2019, making her the first Somali American to serve in either legislative chamber.

Omar won her re-election in 2020 with 64.5 per cent of the vote.

Though both are Democrats, Samuels said he differs from Omar on issues like the ‘Defund the police’ movement, as well as President Biden’s infrastructure bill, which Omar voted against.

He recalled his experience in north Minneapolis when he convened his neighbours for “block club” meetings, after a bullet flew through his window soon after he moved into his home.

“From the very beginning, it was a style of service that made sure everybody was at the table that was based on the current and pressing needs,” he said. “I’m going to bring that kind of leadership to Washington,” he vowed then.

Samuels is currently the CEO of MicroGrants, a non-profit which partners with community organisations to distribute $1,000 grants to improve the lives of low-income people in the Twin Cities.

He is also a leading figure in the ‘Lights On’ programme where police officers are given vouchers to give to motorists who are stopped for broken car lights instead of giving the driver a ticket. The voucher, valued up to US$250, is issued to have the broken light repaired.