(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Democratic congressional candidate Don Samuels sparked controversy by criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for her appearance and attire, suggesting she is “not cute enough” to disregard her constituents.
In a now-viral interview, Samuels drew attention to Omar’s looks in an analogy that she swiftly denounced as misogynistic.
BEASTMODE: Ilhan Omar Challenger Says Anti-Semitic Rep ‘Not Cute Enough’ To Ignore Constituentshttps://t.co/r0R7qkYUOS pic.twitter.com/cy7syWyGrV
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) November 29, 2023
“To see [the] government not be responsive like that to the people who pay them, it is offensive to me,” Samuels said in a podcast, apparently directing his remarks at Omar.
“And to not be responsive and available to those people? To meet with them and find out what their concerns are and to answer their tough questions? To not get back to people on the phone? Who do you think you are? And who do you think you’re working for? You’re not cute enough, you don’t dress well enough, nothing about you is attractive enough to overcome that deficit,” he added.
In response, Omar took to Twitter on Nov. 28, to condemn Samuels as misogynistic, somehow blaming his comments on former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
“This is beneath the dignity of any adult, let alone someone seeking public office. It is reminiscent of the worst kinds of lies and misogyny that we are hearing from people like Donald Trump, who think they can say anything about women and get away with it,” she claimed.
This is beneath the dignity of any adult, let alone someone seeking public office. It is reminiscent of the worst kinds of lies and misogyny that we are hearing from people like Donald Trump, who think they can say anything about women and get away with it. Like Trump, instead of… https://t.co/9j7BK3UehX
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 29, 2023
Samuels, a persistent critic of Omar and former member of the Minneapolis City Council, previously ran against her in 2022, only losing the primary over 2,500 votes.
His decision to challenge Omar in 2024 followed controversies surrounding Omar’s anti-Israel remarks and her unwavering support for Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
Tlaib faced scorching criticism and a House censure for defending anti-Semitism, including the “From the river to the sea” chant advocating for the destruction of the Jewish state from the Jordanian River to the Mediterranean Sea.
A donor pledged $20 million on potential support for a Tlaib primary challenger, citing her ties to the disturbing pro-Palestinian protests breaking out across the country amid the Israel-Hamas war.
