Fox News reports that Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar, who is a Somalian that immigrated to the U.S. as a refugee, finally has a Republican opponent as she runs for re-election in the House. She is wrapped in controversy surrounding the multiple fraud cases that have come out of the state.
Omar’s former campaign staffer was guilty of conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering. She herself has promoted a meal distribution site that was also convicted of fraud, and she is accused of paving the way for it with her legislation MEALS Act of 2020. She denies any knowledge of the fraud scheme.
John Nagel, who worked as a state trooper for 30 years, told Fox News that that he believes his background gives him a unique opportunity to make the case against the Democrat incumbent in Minnesota's deep-blue 5th Congressional District.
“I think the people of Minnesota have been lied to. They've had their money stolen. They want to see somebody that's going to come in and fix things. They're tired of being told the same old things,” Nagel says.
According to him, Minnesotans were in the dark for the longest time because the media did not cover so many things.
“And things have gotten so bad, and people like Fox News, yourself, have come out, and the other media outlets have been forced into starting to look at things,” Nagel states.
He highlights that he is pro-American and a native of Minnesota, and not a “Washington plant.” He also points out that Omar’s district has been the center of the state’s fraud problem.
Nagel claims he is connecting with the Somali population, stating he has yet to have anybody tell him that Omar is great.
“If you look at Somalilanders who used to vote for her, they aren't voting for her anymore. I'm telling anybody from that group I'm willing to work with the Somalilanders, as long as they love their country, they love their state and they just want to have a normal life like everybody else and pay taxes,” Nagel says.
He emphasizes that they should be what every other kind of immigrant has been: somebody that comes here and gives back, not just takes.
Unfortunately for Nagel, Fox News also says that a Cook Political Report puts the race as solid Democrat with a +32 rating, making it a real uphill battle to flip.
