Press Releases

Don Samuels endorsed by United Steelworkers in primary race against Rep. Ilhan Omar

MINNEAPOLIS, July 19, 2022 — The United Steelworkers (USW) today endorsed former Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels in his primary bid against Rep. Ilhan Omar. Representing over 850,000 workers, the USW is Samuels’ third major union endorsement.

USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez released a statement calling Samuels a “true public servant” that will be a collaborative leader for working men and women in Washington.

“As a nation,” Ramirez said, “if we want to create good jobs, modernize our crumbling infrastructure and expand the middle class, then we need to elect true public servants like Don Samuels, who know how to bring people together to make it happen.”

Samuels often draws on his ability to work with others as a contrast to Omar’s “contrarian positions to the mainstream Democratic Party” in response to Omar’s votes against President Joe Biden’s signature infrastructure bill, increasing capitol security after the January 6th riots, and against sanctions on Russian oil and oligarchs’ assets—all of which received overwhelming Democratic support.

USW joins the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 and the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters who endorsed Samuels based on his support for organized labor and working people. Both unions referenced President Biden’s infrastructure bill in their endorsements last month as reasons for supporting him in the Democratic primary.

Samuels responded to USW’s endorsement today saying “I have always been a staunch supporter of working Americans—the backbone of our economy. When I am in Congress, I will work to ensure that the working men and women of this country are given the support they need to make good wages, work in safe conditions, and have a voice in their futures through strong union representation.”



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