Omar has made waves as one of the faces of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and was an outspoken supporter of Sanders in his presidential bid.
By AARON REICHDemocratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is joined by US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) at a campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire, US, December 13, 2019. (photo credit: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS)
Vermont Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders gave his official endorsement on Thursday to Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's reelection to the House of Representatives, local CBS affiliate WCCO reported.“I’m very pleased to endorse my good friend, Ilhan Omar, for reelection to the United States Congress,” Sanders said in a statement obtained by WCCO.“In the Congress today, there are a handful of true progressives – people who understand that their function is to stand up for working families, work to guarantee health care for all, ensure that nobody in this country goes hungry, and take on the greed of the fossil fuel industry. Ilhan Omar is one of those people. She is fighting for economic, racial, and environmental justice.“All the while, Ilhan has been subjected to more vile and racist attacks than any other member of Congress. But she’s responded with the kind of dignity that should make the people of her district proud.“Ilhan Omar is a woman of incredible strength. We need her leadership. We need her voice speaking out for justice. I hope the people of Minnesota will rally around her and send her back to Congress.”Elected in 2019 to represent Minnesota's fifth congressional district, which includes Minneapolis, Omar has made waves as being one of the first two Muslim women elected into Congress, alongside fellow freshman Democrat Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Since then, Omar has been one of the faces of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party as a member of "The Squad" alongside fellow congresswomen Tlaib, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (New York) and Ayanna Pressley (Massachusettes).In the 2020 presidential race, Omar supported Sanders, and was among his most vocal backers in Congress.However, Omar has also faced heavy criticism from others, in particular over allegations of antisemitism and anti-Israel views. A longtime supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign targeting Israel, the congresswoman has heavily criticized Israeli policies regarding settlements and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.In addition, she has also made numerous remarks over social media that many have viewed as antisemitic. This includes a 2012 tweet when she said "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel," a February 2019 tweet referring to American politician's support of Israel which stated "It's all about the Benjamins baby" and a statement later that same month where she said "I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country."A member of the Democratic Party, Omar is being challenged in the primary by Antone Melton-Meaux, who has reportedly outraised Omar over the past few months, WCCO reported.
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