Dalia Al-Aqidi, a well-known US television anchor, slammed Omar for controversial rhetoric that, according to the former, is "dividing" America. An avowed Republican, she is an Iraqi-born journalist with 31 years experience, including as a White House correspondent for Alhurra, a US-based Arabic channel that airs in the Middle East. Al-Aquidi stated in a recent interview that the representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district "needs to be stopped".
"I truly believe that I'm strong enough to beat her at her own game", Al-Aqidi told Fox News, adding that Omar would be limited in using her dramatic background as a Muslim woman who migrated to the US because they are "basically the same".
"Muslims, Christians, Jews are all Americans [...] Every time she opens her mouth she says something either anti-US or anti-Semitic", Al-Aqidi claimed, referring to Omar's past comments that have been labeled by some as anti-Semitic.
Al-Aqidi also accused Omar of concentrating more on her own image than on her lawmaking efforts
"I am loyal to the country that gave me a chance, gave me a brighter future", Al-Aqidi said, suggesting that Omar "continually tries to weaken the country and divide us [...] Conflict resolution is an art. You cannot do anything without a conversation. You talk to the other side and try to figure out something that will be acceptable. Trashing the other side will get you nowhere", she said, cited by Fox News.
"I'm ready to fight and I believe that I could win", the Republican candidate said, cited by Fox News.
Al-Aqidi moved to the US from Iraq in 1988, where she worked as a reporter, continuing her journalism career in America. Al-Aqidi worked as a news analyst, in addition to anchoring a political talk show about American policies in North Africa.
Omar's tenure as a lawmaker has been marked by several controversial episodes after her comments struck a nerve, including that of Trump, and allegedly became fuel for some to express anti-Semitic and hate rhetoric.
