Longtime State Rep. Phyllis Kahn Defeated By Somali Activist
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Somali activist has unseated one of the Minnesota Legislature's longest-serving members in a Democratic primary.
Ilhan Omar defeated 22-term Rep. Phyllis Kahn in Tuesday's DFL nominating contest. Omar's victory in the heavily Democratic Minneapolis district makes it likely she'll be the first Somali-American lawmaker in the nation after the November election.
The district spans the University of Minnesota and is home to a large population of immigrants from Somalia and other East African countries. Omar argued the district needs a fresher face that better represents the diversity and needs of the area.
Omar is a political activist and former aide to the Minneapolis City Council.
Kahn has spent 44 years in the Legislature.
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