Abdimalik Askar
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]
Abdimalik Askar | |
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GOP candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in Minneapolis' District 60B4 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1975/1976 (age 44–45) Somalia |
Political party | Republican Party of Minnesota |
Alma mater | Normandale Community College, St. Mary's University |
Career
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.
Askar's chief rival in the general election was the Democratic nominee Ilhan Omar, another activist in the Somali-American community. Askar subsequently announced his withdrawal from the campaign, as he was grieving the death of his father and attempting to complete a doctorate at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.[6]
References
- "From Somalia to Minnesota - The Odyssey of an Entrepreneur" (PDF). Vote For Askar. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
- "Meet Askar". Vote For Askar. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. 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. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. 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.