President Donald Trump tweeted support on Monday for Rep. Ilhan Omar's Republican challenger, Lacy Johnson.

"And I'm endorsing you also Lacy, you truly deserve it," Trump wrote as he retweeted a posting from Johnson two days earlier in which he introduced himself to potential supporters and touted last week's Republican endorsement for his bid.

Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District GOP gave Johnson its endorsement last week. A businessman, Johnson has raised a surprising $1.1 million in his bid to unseat Omar. Trump's online support is likely to be another fundraising boost.

The Minneapolis-centered, heavily Democratic Fifth District has not elected a Republican to Congress since the 1960s. In 2018, Omar defeated her Republican opponent with 78% of the vote.

Trump has been a regular critic of Omar, who last year became one of the first two Muslim women to join the U.S. Congress. In his tweet on Monday, he called her "a disaster." Omar in turn has frequently pushed back at Trump and his policies.

Patrick Condon