As primary elections unfold in four states in the Midwest and New England, the progressive and diverse House Democrats known as the 'Squad' are facing their last intraparty challenge. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a historic figure as the first Somali American in Congress and the first woman of color to represent Minnesota, is seeking a fourth term in the Democrat primary for the 5th Congressional District. Despite facing three primary challengers, Omar is considered the favorite and has not been targeted by outside spending groups.
Minnesota's primary follows Vice President Harris naming Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on the Democrat 2024 ticket. In neighboring Wisconsin, Sen. Tammy Baldwin is unopposed in her party's primary for a third term, while a closely watched GOP primary is underway in the 8th Congressional District to fill the seat of former Rep. Mike Gallagher.
Connecticut sees Republican primaries to challenge Sen. Chris Murphy and Rep. Jim Himes, while in Vermont, two Democrats are competing for the gubernatorial nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Phil Scott in November. Scott, a moderate Republican and Trump critic, remains popular in the reliably blue state.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, the only other Squad member with an upcoming primary, is unchallenged in her September contest. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the favorite in the Democrat Senate primary in Minnesota, while eight candidates vie for the GOP nomination. In Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, two Democrats are running to face Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in November.
Despite recent defeats for Squad members Rep. Cori Bush and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez easily won her primary in June. The Squad's influence and dynamics within the Democratic Party continue to be closely watched as the primary season progresses.
