Abdimalik Askar
| Abdimalik Askar | |
|---|---|
| GOP candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in Minneapolis' District 60B4 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1975/1976 (age 40–41) Somalia |
| Political party | Republican Party of Minnesota |
| Alma mater | Normandale Community College, St. Mary's University |
| Religion | Islam |
Abdimalik Askar (Somali: Cabdimaliik Askar, Arabic: عبدالملك عسكر) (born 1975/1976) is a Somali-American educator, entrepreneur and politician. He holds an undergraduate degree from Normandale Community College, as well as a BA in Information Technology and a Master's in Project Management from St. Mary's University.[1] Askar has worked in scholastic administration at the elementary, secondary and collegiate levels, including as an Assistant Principal at Best Academy East.[2] Additionally, he previously served as an outreach coordinator for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU). He also established the Somali TV public access channel in 1998.[1] In 2012, Askar unsuccessfully ran for President of Somalia.[3] In March 2014, he was officially endorsed as the Republican Party of Minnesota's candidate running for the Minnesota House of Representatives in Minneapolis' District 60B.[4][5] He was also endorsed for the same seat in 2016.
Askars chief rival in the general election is the Democratic nominee Ilhan Omar, another activist in the Somali-American community. Askar subsequently announced his withdrawal from the campaign, although his name will likely remain on the ballot for the November election. Askar was grieving the death of his father whilst attempting to complete a doctorate at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.[6]
References
- 1 2 "From Somalia to Minnesota - The Odyssey of an Entrepreneur" (PDF). Vote For Askar. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ "Meet Askar". Vote For Askar. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ Shah, Allie (10 April 2012). "A local runs for Somalia's top office". StarTribune. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ "MNGOP Endorses Abdimalik Askar". Republican Party of Minnesota. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ "Minnesota GOP endorsed its first Somali-American candidate for state House". StarTribune. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- ↑ Liz Sawyer, GOP state House candidate to suspend campaign against Ilhan Omar, 27 Aug. 20167, Minneapolis Star Tribune. Accessed 28 August 2016.