A crowded slate for the state’s fifth district

The 2026 midterm elections are to be held Nov. 3. with the MN primaries coming up soon on Aug. 11.

The seat for Minnesota’s fifth congressional district, which includes Northeast, St. Anthony, Columbia Heights and Hilltop, is up. The seat is held by Rep. Ilhan Omar (DFL), who is seeking re-election.  She faces four primary challengers: Julie Le, Abena McKenzie, Latonya Reeves and Nate Schluter.

Le is the former assistant chief counsel at the Department of Homeland Security and a former special assistant U.S. attorney at the Department of Justice. Notably, Le was removed from handling immigration cases by the Trump administration hours after she told a judge in a now-viral video, “this system sucks, this job sucks.”

Le volunteered to take more than 85 cases to handle litigation from immigrants claiming they had been wrongfully detained during Operation Metro Surge. In 2024 she was appointed to the Minnesota Board of School Administrators. She also serves on the board for the Asian Pacific Advisory Board for the Minnesota Office of Ombudsperson for Families and the Board of Advisors for The Vietnamese Community in Minnesota. Her campaign focuses on immigration reform, expanding healthcare access and public education.

McKenzie is running for the second time after losing the 2024 primary against Omar. She is a nurse and the oldest of seven siblings. Her campaign building blocks are: family stabilization, community mentorships, grassroots initiatives, weekly direct communication and discipline management. Her platform includes a high school police academy apprentice program and tutoring programs for school age children to improve math and reading literacy. “I’m committed to serving the people of District 5 with integrity, dedication, and a deep understanding of the community’s needs,” McKenzie wrote in a statement on her campaign website.

Omar is unanimously endorsed by the DFL. Omar was elected in 2019 and became the first African refugee and woman of color to represent the state in Congress. Her campaign website emphasizes her centering “co-governance” between the government and the people. In her time in office, eight of her authored bills and amendments have been signed into law, including two focusing on returning land around the St. Anthony Lock and Dam to an Indigenous-run organization and to prevent the dam from being sold to a for-profit entity. She is the co-chair for the Medicare for All Caucus. Omar has come under scrutiny by the Trump administration and Minnesota Republicans for alleged involvement with the Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Oversight Committee attempted to subpoena Omar earlier this year and failed.

Reeves is a career probation officer in Hennepin County and the union president of the American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5 Local 552 Probation and Parole Bargaining Unit. She has been involved in many committees in Minneapolis, serving as vice chair of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and vice chair of the Minneapolis Community Commission on Police Oversight. Reeves was born and has lived in the 5th District her whole life and is endorsed by Hennepin County Assistant County Attorney Adam Tomczik as well as small business owners and neighbors. Reeves is a doctoral candidate of philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on Criminal Justice and Corrections at Walden University. According to Reeves’ campaign website, “She listens to all of MN-CD-05, including people she may not always agree with, because she believes every voice deserves to be heard and respected.”

Nate Schluter does not have a campaign website at the time of reporting.

There are four candidates running for the GOP spot on the November ballot: Dalia Al-Aqidi, John Nagel, Angie Windhauser and Abbey Zieska.

Dalia Al-Aqidi moved to the Twin Cities in 2019 and resides in the North Loop. Al-Aqidi fled Iraq in 1988 with her family and is committed to “giving back to the country that allowed me to live the American dream,” per a statement on her website. A career journalist, she has written for and anchored various stations both in the Middle East and the U.S. She was media advisor in the U.S. Department of Defense-run Multi-National Security Transition Command Baghdad Public Affairs Office. She is endorsed by the CD5 Republicans and the Minnesota Young Republicans. Her key issues are combating fraud, America’s energy independence and making the country safer for all through combatting
antisemitism and strengthening alliances.

John Nagel is a retired state trooper, safety consultant for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and sergeant at the State Patrol Training Academy. Nagel earned the Patrol’s Meritorious Service Award. He is a lifelong resident of St. Louis Park and previously ran for a seat in Minnesota House District 46A, losing to Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL). According to his campaign website, Nagle is running to “bring back safety, sanity, and service and to restore Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs to the pride of the North.”

Angie Windhauser is running a faith-focused campaign. Windhauser runs God’s Finest Hour, a nonprofit and YouTube channel. Windhauser was born in South Bend, Ind., and is currently based in Fridley. Her platform proposes eliminating property taxes, making parents of teen offenders serve sentences and reducing permits required for home maintenance. According to her website, “Windhauser is the only qualified candidate for the CD5 election in Minnesota, ready to run for congress from Washington D.C. Make America for Jesus again.” This slogan is abbreviated to MAJA, a play on President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Abbey Zieska does not have a website available at time of reporting.

DeVelle L. Jackson is running uncontested for the Independent party.

Candidates for the State Representative, State Senator, Hennepin County Commissioners and Attorney as well as school board elections will be covered in an upcoming edition of the Northeaster.