Opinion | Which side will Ilhan Omar choose?

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U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar is on a roll. The DFLer representing Minnesota’s Fifth District has seen a wide variety of success over opposition during the years since she’s been in office; winning by a hair in the 2022 primary before settling into a comfortable 13-point victory against her DFL challenger in 2024. Now, all of her obvious potential challengers for 2026 have bowed down to her mass of support from both constituents and fellow DFL members, so she, for the time being, has bowled over the competition.

The recent endorsements of prime, hearty and wholesome Minnesota Democrats — Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Attorney General Keith Ellison — have helped her reach what would seem to be safe re-election status. In a recent Minnesota Star Tribune news story, Walz, regarding his endorsement of Omar, was quoted as saying, “As DFLers, we should come together to get organized and win big.”

Walz thereby seems to have authorized Omar’s inclusion into the DFL institution, by which I mean the club of moderate, well-seasoned Democrats. Whether or not she will accept this invitation remains to be seen.

Omar has always run on the DFL and Democratic Party banners since her career as an elected official began with state office in 2017 and the national stage in 2019, but she has been accused of socialist schemes for just as long. She has supported and has been outspoken about progressive policies that are close to Gen Z’s heart: reproductive rights, environmental justice and the Free Palestine movement. She is a founding member of the “Squad,” a group of progressive lawmakers in D.C. consisting of Omar, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and others who have all stood as a symbolic, meaningful representation of young peoples’ frustration with their government.

Their presence established and signified that there were lawmakers in D.C. who are close(r) in age to their young constituents, who know that those young lives currently aren’t, and aren’t going to be, the same as those of their parents, and who have dedicated themselves to bringing issues that young people care about into the Washington light. I’m one of the many Gen Zers who agree that it’s nice to have people in office who at least semi grew up with social media.

Omar’s already disgruntled a few in her district after she endorsed Robin Wonsley for Minneapolis City Council. Wonsley currently represents Ward 2 and is a self-titled democratic socialist, which already suggested that Omar was annoyed with her party’s lack of action and was looking for new paths forward for, at least, Minneapolis.

However, the DFL Party’s endorsement of democratic socialist state Sen. Omar Fateh for Minneapolis mayor was a surprise that few saw coming, including incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey, who spent a few days complaining about the delegates’ decision.

After democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s primary win in New York City’s mayoral race, Minnesota Star Tribune columnist Aaron Brown wrote, “… Fateh is a Democratic Socialist trying to run in the same lane that Mamdani did in New York.”

Young people want action, they’re concerned about their future — in the political, climatic and spiritual senses. American politics are nothing like they were for young people who grew up in the Obama era. Our president is a convicted felon. The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to deregulate the vehicle and power plant emissions causing climate change. There are bills proposing to display the Ten Commandments in public schools across the country. While every generation has their fair share of struggles, these backtracks pose unprecedented changes to Gen Z’s version of normalcy. So, people of my age are interested in looking toward new ways to see positive change for our futures.

The DFL’s endorsement of Fateh signifies that a majority of delegates are ready for some new faces to satisfy young voters’ quench for progress. But Walz, Klobuchar, Smith and Ellison’s endorsements of Omar suggest the opposite. They’re trying to draw young people away from the “radical left” by pulling a beloved young political figure to their side — their moderate, institutional and safe side.

The Democrats’ answer is not to complete an overhauling party change, but to quell a frustrated young base and dissuade movement toward the point of no return: democratic socialism. If center-left DFLers can coax Omar into their club, they can keep things the same while adding a new voice to the pack and construct a mildly fresh message focused on young people peril.

Omar has not yet given her own endorsement for the Minneapolis mayoral race that appears to be between Frey and Fateh. She and Frey haven’t been mutual supporters in the past, so it seems unlikely she’ll throw her support his way. Her lack of endorsement for either candidate at this point is telling, but Walz’ endorsement of Frey announced July 31 could be interpreted as a pointed jab at who Omar should lend her support to.

Her forthcoming endorsement could be interpreted as a statewide tell all on where she stands: Frey or Fateh? Staunch institutional DFLer? Or proclaimed democratic socialist? The institutionalist or the frustrated young people?

Her endorsement will say for herself which end of the democratic spectrum she falls on, and how she’ll support the struggling Democratic Party going forward.