U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar won the endorsement of the state DFL party in her re-election bid for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in a first round of balloting. The backing unlocks resources from the state party ahead of the August primary race.

Rep. Omar won the endorsement over former Minneapolis city council member Don Samuels, whom she defeated by just two percentage points in 2022. During a question-and-answer portion of the convention, Omar was asked about the war in Gaza which she referred to as a “genocide.”

“There is no way for us as citizens of this country to continue to allow our tax dollars to pay for the bombs that are destroying a civilian population,” Omar said to cheers from the audience.