A Muslim Iraqi refugee who previously worked as a war journalist announced she is running for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, meaning she will try to unseat Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar.
In her campaign announcement video, Dalia al-Aqidi said she was fortunate to be able to come to the United States as a little girl with her mother to escape Saddam Hussein, who she described as a "brutal dictator." Seeing how terror had affected her family, al-Aqidi says in the video she was happy President Trump ordered the death of Iranian general and terrorist Qasem Soleimani.
"I've gone from a frightened girl to a determined fighter against oppression wherever I find it, and sometimes that's closer than we think," al-Aqidi states. "In our own Congress, agents of anger and discord are tearing at America from within...like Ilhan Omar."
Noting their similarities, al-Aqidi says her and Omar "couldn't be further apart."
"When President Trump ended the murderous reign of Qassem Soleimani...Ilhan Omar was outraged, attacking the President, defending the terrorist, driving further and further apart. She claims to speak for all Muslims, but she does not speak for me."
DID YOU SEE? I’ve announced I’m running for Congress in MN-5 to defeat Ilhan Omar. https://t.co/El9474IVRj pic.twitter.com/f4psbBVZ8l
— Dalia al-Aqidi (@Dalia4Congress) January 17, 2020
Al-Aqidi has also criticized the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
As a Muslim, CAIR @CAIRNational does not represent me and will never do. https://t.co/BWNpSBDZOs
— Dalia al-Aqidi (@Dalia4Congress) January 16, 2020