Former Iraqi refugee trying to unseat Ilhan Omar: She is doing 'irreparable harm' to the country
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is doing "irreparable" damage to the United States, according to Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Iraqi refugee who is running as a Republican to unseat Omar in November.
Appearing on "Fox & Friends" Friday with hosts Pete Hegseth and Ainsley Earhardt, Al-Aqidi said her opponent was harming Minnesota's 5th Congressional District with hateful rhetoric.
IRAQI REFUGEE LAUNCHES GOP CHALLENGE TO ILHAN OMAR: 'SHE NEEDS TO BE STOPPED'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As an American citizen, my duty is to defend my country and my duty is to stand up to her hatred and racism that she's spreading within her community, within the country, and even worldwide," Al-Aqidi said. "Ilhan Omar is harming every American with her hatred, her standing against what we believe in, [and] against our own Constitution."
A former White House correspondent, Al-Aqidi told the "Fox & Friends" anchors that America "is her dream."
"I came to the U.S. more than 25 years ago. So, basically, I'm not a refugee anymore. I'm not an Iraqi anymore. I'm an American. Period."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"America, for me, is my country. America opened the doors for me," she stated.
According to the New York Post, Al-Aqidi and her family fled Iraq to escape Saddam Hussein's terrorist regime when she was in her 20s and they became U.S. citizens in the early 1990s. Omar fled war-torn Somalia with her family at the age of 9.
Dalia Al-Aqidi is looking to challenge Rep. Ilhan Omar.
"I believe in building bridges," Al-Aqidi stated. "We are not enemies. We are all American and we can fight together and we can discuss issues together."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"She doesn't care about her district. She's done nothing for her district. All she's done is to harm her district [and] harm her followers," she said.
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Al-Aqidi joins several Republican challengers in the fight for the state, including businessman Lacy Johnson, special education professional Danielle Stella, minister and missionary Lucia Vogel, activist Alley Waterbury, and former auto sales manager Brent Whaley.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That said, Omar won her district by a landslide in 2018.
"So many now, they are looking for someone else," Al-Aqidi noted. "And I'm here to say, 'Do you know what? We are Americans, we're not divided. We all love our country and let's not take your hate [for President] Trump against America. We are all Americans and we can stand together, defend our country.'"
Fox News' Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.