When Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) delivered her victory speech Tuesday night to a crowd of Somalis, her supporters must have felt right at home.
Omar, whose real name is “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi,” according to the Department of Justice, decided to give her victory address in Somali, her native language. The speech followed her lopsided 76.5% to 16.2% win over opponent Republican John Nagel to reclaim her Minnesota seat for the fifth straight time.
Video shows Omar and her supporters dancing at her election party in a Minneapolis mall, and then pans to Omar speaking to the crowd in Somali.
On X, Omar posted a video of another post-election speech — in English — with the caption: “Minnesota, thank you for welcoming my family with open arms when we arrived here as refugees.”
“This is what it looks like when we lead with compassion, empathy, and courage. This is what it looks like when you give a damn about your neighbors. And this is what it looks like when you go out and vote your values,” she said. “Because when this administration came for Minnesotans, we knew that we could respond by showing up and protecting our neighbors. But we also knew that when Election Day came, that we were going to...