UPDATE: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich) has not endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders, yet, despite Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) claiming otherwise.
“I have not made any endorsement at this time,” Tlaib said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press.
“It is critically important to me to involve my residents and my district in every major decision I make because staying rooted in community makes our movement stronger,” Tlaib continued.
“I am looking forward to bringing Senator Sanders to Michigan on Oct. 27 for a tour of our district that will highlight economic justice issues and corporate tax giveaways, and (include) a roundtable with housing justice advocates,” she said. “I need to know that anyone I choose to endorse will fight for my residents, and I appreciate the opportunity for them to have a dialogue with Sen. Sanders about these critically important issues.”
Earlier:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), picked up three major endorsements following his strong showing at the Democratic primary debate in Westerville, Ohio, Tuesday night, signaling that, despite rumblings about his health, he’s strong, his campaign’s strong—and he’s just getting started.
Progressive Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar (Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), three-fourths of the freshmen congresswomen collective known as “The Squad,” have all endorsed Sanders, Omar confirmed.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), who also stood apart from her colleagues when she supported anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) legislation, has yet to endorse anyone.
During the debate, Sanders focused on the student debt crisis, Medicare For All, tackling the U.S./Saudi led war and the horrible violence inflicted on the people of Yemen, and reminding voters that he “wrote the damn bill.” With many of the candidates focusing their fire on co-front runner Elizabeth Warren, Sanders wasn’t forced on the defensive, leaving him with a clear path toward former VP Joe Biden.
“Joe, you talked about working with Republicans and getting things done,” Sanders said. “But you know what you also got done — and I say this as a good friend — you got the disastrous war in Iraq done. You got a bankruptcy bill, which is hurting middle class families all over this country. You got trade agreements like NAFTA and PNTR (permanent normal trade relations) with China done, which have cost us 4 million jobs. Let’s get to Medicare for all. If we stood together, we could create the greatest health care system in the world.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who was a volunteer organizer on Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, is expected to formally announce her endorsement at a “Bernie’s Back” rally in Long Island City, Queens, New York, on Saturday, the NY Post reports.
And the newly dubbed #BernieSquad cannot wait.