Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, the first Somali American and woman of color U.S. representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, has amassed a significant net worth from her remarkable political career.
Beginning her professional career as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota in the Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Ilhan Omar demonstrated her exceptional teaching skills by delivering lessons to low-income families for more than three years.
Ilhan Omar also served as a campaign manager for Kari Dzeidzik for the Minnesota State Senate and Andrew Johnson for Ward 12 in 2012 and 2013 before working as a child Nutrition Outreach Coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Education for over 1 year.
Likewise, after Andrew Johnson became the representative of the Minneapolis City Council, Omar served as his senior policy aide from 2013 to 2015 before becoming director of policy and initiatives for the Women Organizing Women Network in September 2015.
In 2016, Ilhan Omar ran on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor ticket for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 60B and won the general election, becoming the first Somali-American lawmaker in the United States in January 2017.
Furthermore, after serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives for more than 2 years, Omar became the first Somali-American Congresswoman for Minnesota 5th District in the United States House of Representatives in January 2019 and is currently serving in her position.
According to several sources, the annual earnings of a U.S. representative is $174,000; considering her tenure of more than 5 years, Ilhan Omar has amassed a significant income of around $1.5 million from her role as a representative.
Similarly, adding all her income from her career as a politician and educator for over 18 years, she has amassed a significant income of around $2.5 million, adding to her net worth.
Ilhan Omar has also accumulated her income through book royalties and business investments
In addition to her outstanding political career, Ilhan Omar is an amazing writer who has written a popular book named “This Is What America Looks Like My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman,” where she talks about her journey of becoming a U.S. Congresswoman from a Refugee.
According to reports, Omar signed a significant book deal with Harper Collins in 2023, worth an estimated $100,000 or more.
However, Omar’s agent, Steve Ross, said that she didn’t profit from the book, stating, “Any advance for the book went to the congresswoman’s collaborator and not to the congresswoman, and she has not earned any moment from the book.“
Despite this claim, people believe that Omar has earned significant income from her book and is also involved in several business investments, including her husband’s company, eStreet Group.
Reports also said that Omar’s campaign paid the eStreet group $3.7 million over the 2020 cycle, contributing four-fifths of political payments to her husband’s firm during the election.
According to reports, Omar has also acquired significant investments in many Muslim-owned businesses, including New York AG Letitia James. She is also involved in a wine manufacturing company, several startups, and a restaurant chain.
Additionally, a financial disclosure report revealed Omar’s assets and unearned income, including her investments in different equity funds, money market funds, and venture capital.
The report also disclosed her liabilities, including her student and credit card loans of $15,001 and $50,000 in 2019. She also had a car loan from Toyota for $10,000 to $15,000, leaving her with a negative net worth of—$25,001 to—$65,000.
After deducting her expenses, Ilhan Omar’s estimated net worth is around $5 million as of 2024, considering all her income from her diverse career.
Additional Information
- Before becoming a U.S. representative, Ilhan Omar owned just one Toyota, but now she has seven new cars, a million-dollar luxury apartment in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and a condo in downtown Brooklyn.
- Ilham Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, is a political consultant, president, co-founder of Rose Lake Capital, and co-partner of eStreet Group. The couple married in March 2020. She was previously married to Ahmed Abdisalan and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.
- She has two children with Ahmed Abdisalan, including daughter Isra Hirsi, an American environmental activist. She also has one child with her second husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.
- Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 4, 1982, and is the youngest of seven siblings. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Dakota State University.
- She recently won her primary election rematch against Don Samuels for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district on August 13, 2024.
