MINNESOTA—John Nagel, a 30-year veteran of the Minnesota State Police, won the Republican primary in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District and is preparing to face Democrat Ilhan Omar in the November election.
Nagel
has placed the high-profile fraud scandals involving public funds at the heart
of his campaign, particularly the Feeding Our Future case, a widespread fraud
scheme linked to federal child nutrition programs.
The
Justice Department has reported that dozens of people have been convicted in
the case. In April 2026, the department indicated that the number of defendants
convicted in the scheme had reached 65. The Republican candidate is seeking to
inform citizens about the Omar scandal and question her support for the MEALS
Act, legislation passed during the pandemic that was later linked to the
program at the center of the fraud. Omar has denied any knowledge of the scheme
and called any claim that he knew about the fraudulent activities “completely
false.”
“I
think the people of Minnesota have been lied to. They’ve had their money
stolen. They want to see someone come in and fix things,” Nagel told Fox News
Digital.
Nagel’s
candidacy is taking place in a district that includes Minneapolis and has
historically been a Democratic stronghold, at least before it shifted to a more
left-leaning position. The candidate himself acknowledges the challenge and is
focusing his campaign on issues such as fraud, the management of public
resources, security, and the performance of state services, which are of great
importance to voters.
For
now, the contest between Nagel and Omar once again places Minnesota at the
center of the national debate on fraud involving public funds and the political
accountability of those who supported programs that were later used
fraudulently.
The
general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.