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Today, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar endorsed State Sen. Omar Fateh in the Minneapolis mayoral race.

“We not only need leaders who can work with anyone to get tangible results but who truly understand the struggle of the people they seek to represent,” Representative Omar said to media in front of City Hall. “Omar [Fateh] does that.”

She joined at least six council members, including Minneapolis City Council President Elliot Payne, who have endorsed Sen. Fateh.

Representative Omar has not always agreed with current Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The two have mainly sparred over public safety in the city.

In 2021, Representative Omar encouraged people to vote for Frey's challengers. And Frey endorsed Ilhan Omar's challenger when she ran for re-election in 2022. 

MPR News host Clay Masters spoke with Rep. Omar outside Minneapolis City Hall just after her endorsement Monday morning.

Read a transcript below, edited for time and clarity. 

Should anybody really be surprised that you endorsed Senator Fateh, given the past relationship you've had with Mayor Frey?

It really has nothing to do with any of that. It has to do with the fact that I'm a resident of the city, and I would love it to have a brighter future. I just believe we need a new vision. 

We need new level of dedication. We need a new level of collaboration. This city has been through a lot, and you cannot get us past the struggles that we've had if you have the same vision.

What are some of those struggles that you see as something that he would be better equipped for unlocking? 

We've had a huge uptick in unhoused people, and there hasn't been a collaborative effort to address encampments and how to invest in creating affordable housing with the county, with the federal, with the state. And I think Omar is ready to do what St. Paul and Ramsey County has been able to do with the unhoused population.

I believe public safety still remains a huge problem. We have cases that have not been solved. While St. Paul posts something like 90 percent clearance for their homicides, we have about 60 percent here. Where St. Paul has about 70 percent in investigating and solving cases where the person is still alive but they've been injured, 

Minneapolis is sitting at something less than 25 percent.

And we now have Ramsey County coming to us, to the City of Minneapolis, and telling us what tools we need. That should have been done a long time ago with this 

 system. That hasn't gotten done. And I believe that Omar will do that.

Do you feel that President Trump deserves any credit for the breakthrough that seems to have happened in the Middle East recently?

I am really delighted that we are seeing that breakthrough, and I am hesitant to be too optimistic in congratulating anyone until we see lasting peace.

What does lasting peace look like to you?

Lasting peace looks like there are no more bombs being dropped on innocent children, that there is no destruction of infrastructure, there is no ethnic cleansing and displacement, and that there is accountability for the genocide that Israel has committed against the people of Gaza. But it also means that we not only have hostages released by Hamas, but everyone else who's holding hostages, including the IDF and the Israeli government.

One of the things that was mentioned at the podium there had to do with what we're seeing the President do, with sending troops to Chicago and to Portland. The governor of Minnesota was talking about the concern of that potentially happening in Minneapolis. What is your role in responding to that? And what do you see Sen. Fateh being as far as a mayor to respond to that?

Our biggest role is being clear about the fact that we are able to take care of the city of Minneapolis. We're able to take care of our state, and we don't need the federal government sending in troops that have not been authorized by our governor. We've been very clear in all the other states where that has happened, whether it's California, whether that's in Illinois, whether it's in Oregon, and we have to make sure that we are standing our ground here in Minnesota as well. 

Can you explain a little bit what it's like in Washington right now, with the shutdown continuing day in, day out, and what you see as your role in trying to open things back up?

It's devastating every single day as the shutdown continues. We have 750,000 federal employees who are at risk of being furloughed or working without pay. Many people are waiting for their paycheck to come in soon, and one missed paycheck for many people means devastating consequences. 

We also know that we are looking at a health care crisis where people's premiums can go up to 75 percent. To residents of CD-5 and to the residents of Minnesota, please reach out to my office. Reach out to your senators. Let us know the impact that you are feeling so that we can advocate for you with our Republican colleagues who seem to have forgotten that this is something that their constituents will be suffering from.

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Today, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar endorsed State Sen. Omar Fateh in the Minneapolis mayoral race. MPR News host Clay Masters spoke with Rep. Omar outside Minneapolis City Hall just after her endorsement Monday morning.

Rep. Ilhan Omar on Fateh endorsement, government shutdown and Gaza

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