NAIROBI, Kenya- U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar has won re-election to the United States House of Representatives, securing a fifth term after defeating Republican challenger John Nagel in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
The Democratic incumbent was declared the winner in Tuesday, November 3, 2026, midterm elections, retaining her seat in a district that includes Minneapolis and several surrounding communities.
Omar’s victory was projected by CBS News, with local broadcaster FOX 9 also reporting her defeat of Nagel in the congressional race.
The victory extends Omar’s congressional career, which began in 2019 after she was first elected in the 2018 midterm elections.
She will now serve another two-year term in the House, having maintained strong support in the heavily Democratic district.
Omar, a Somali-born American politician, made history in 2018 when she became the first Somali American elected to the US Congress and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the House of Representatives.
Victory Comes Amid Federal Investigation
Omar’s re-election comes against the backdrop of heightened political scrutiny and an ongoing federal investigation involving her immigration history.
In October 2026, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security searched her Washington, DC, residence as part of an investigation into allegations surrounding immigration documents filed on her behalf when she was a child.
The investigation has also revived questions about her 2009 marriage, with officials examining allegations of immigration fraud.
Omar has denied wrongdoing and described the investigation as politically motivated. She has not been charged with a crime.
Her political relationship with President Donald Trump has also been marked by repeated confrontations, particularly over immigration, refugee policy and the administration’s treatment of immigrants.
Despite the controversy, Omar’s victory ensures she will return to Washington to continue representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.
Her re-election marks another milestone for the Somali-American community in the United States, where she has remained one of the most prominent immigrant voices in national politics.
