Chris Kelley (shown above right) is a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Army Reserves — and he’s announced that he is coming for the congressional seat of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).

In addition to his time serving in the United States military, Kelley has spent 20 years with the Minneapolis Police Department.

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He earned nearly a dozen medals during his military career; he deployed once during Operation Desert Storm and twice during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Kelley, who intends to run as an independent, says his focus will be on local issues, and they he won’t be dancing for the cameras to get “celebrity” status — as Omar often does.

“I have spent my entire adult life in public service; I know it, I feel it, I live it every day,” he told Law Enforcement Today.

“[Congressional District 5] needs the voice of a worker who gets all people, not just some.”

The 9/11 reference. Kelley told CBS Minnesota he was motivated to run against Omar when he saw her comments at a meeting with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in which she dismissed the 9/11 terror attacks.

Omar, who currently sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described the terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans as “some people did something.”

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“September 11 was a terrible loss of life, not just for police officers and firefighters and other first responders — but 3,000 people and non-combatants died. And to be dismissive of that was an outrage,” Kelley told Fox News.

“I could sit and complain or I could do something about it,” he surmised.

Related: Ethics Charges Are Filed Against Omar for Fraud

Big issues. Kelley said immigration and a secure border are important platforms for his potential constituents.

“Immigration is a big issue right now,” he explained. “I believe in having a secure border. If you don’t have a country, you don’t have a border. And our border agents are doing a great job, but they are being overwhelmed and Congress isn’t giving them the tools they need.”

Kelley also is seeking to drive down a national debt that is spiraling out of control.

By contrast, in our view, Omar supports a U.S. foreign policy that takes the “perspective of a foreigner,” she isn’t a big fan of white people, she is a raging anti-Semite, and she trashes this country every chance she gets because living life in America “is an everyday assault.”

“I won’t be bringing in controversy and scandal,” Kelley said.

Wouldn’t that be a welcome change of pace for Minnesotans?

This piece originally appeared in The Political Insider and is used by permission.

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