Democratic United States Representative Ilhan Omar, one of the progressive House members known as the “Squad” and an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, has won her primary race in Minnesota, Al Jazeera reported.

Omar, 41, successfully defended her Minneapolis-area 5th district seat against a repeat challenge from former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels.

Speaking to supporters in Minneapolis, Omar echoed some of the themes of Democratic Party nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.

“We run the politics of joy,” she said on Tuesday. “Because we know it is joyful to fight for your neighbours. We know it is joyful to make sure housing is a human right. We know it is joyful to fight for healthcare to be a human right. We know it is joyful to want to live in a peaceful and equitable world.”

With 216 of 217 precincts reporting results, Omar had 56.2 percent, compared with 42.9 percent for Samuels, according to Minnesota Secretary of State tallies.

Samuels had criticised Omar’s condemnation of the Israeli government’s handling of the war on Gaza. While Omar has also criticised the Palestinian group Hamas for attacking Israel and taking captives, Samuels has accused her of being one-sided and divisive. He also stressed public safety issues in Minneapolis where a former police officer murdered Black man George Floyd in 2020.

Samuels said he was “very disappointed” with his loss.

“What I was hoping is that a strong ground game and an attention to the details of folks who felt left out would trump an overwhelming superiority in dollars,” he said in an interview. “Clearly, money matters a little more in politics than I had hoped.”