High-profile progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar threw their support behind Bernie Sanders’ campaign for president as the U.S. Senator held his own on Tuesday during a three-hour debate just weeks after suffering a heart attack.
The two U.S. congresswomen were both endorsing the Democratic socialist candidate’s bid for the White House, Sanders’ campaign said.
The endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, the newest star on the leftist stage, and Omar, a Muslim congresswoman who has been the frequent target of U.S. President Donald Trump, suggested Sanders remained the left’s favored nominee.
“Bernie is leading a working class movement to defeat Donald Trump that transcends generation, ethnicity and geography,” said Omar in a statement.
Ocasio-Cortez would endorse Sanders at his comeback rally on Saturday in New York, campaign spokesman Mike Casca confirmed.
National polls have shown fellow progressive Elizabeth Warren, a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, pulling ahead of Sanders as a frontrunner alongside former Vice President Joe Biden.
Sanders’ Oct. 1 heart attack had led to questions about whether the 78-year-old was still a top contender among the 19 Democrats running to take on Trump in November 2020.
Sanders has vowed to return to full bore campaigning after having two stents inserted in an artery.
He enjoys a passionate support base and raised more money for his campaign in the last quarter than any other Democrat, picking up $25.3 million.
Has the Democrat Party become extreme?
On Tuesday night, Sanders appeared as energetic as ever.
On the debate stage, he vigorously defended his Medicare for All plan against fellow Democrats arguing for more piecemeal health reforms.
Sanders also said the concentration of wealth in the hands of a small number of people in the United States was “a moral and economic outrage” and showed the need for a wealth tax.
“The truth is we cannot afford to continue this level of income and wealth inequality and we cannot afford a billionaire class whose greed and corruption has been at war with the working families in this country for 45 years,” he said.
NEWS: @AOC plans to endorse @berniesanders and appear with him at a rally in Queens, NY, on Saturday.
Huge moment in the 2020 race.
Story with @daveweigel: https://t.co/SloYtRUEYw
— Sean Sullivan (@WaPoSean) October 16, 2019
🚨SCOOP with @WaPoSean: @AOC is the “special guest”at @BernieSanders‘s Queens rally, and is expected to support him for president.🚨https://t.co/H1I9woghzG
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) October 16, 2019
BREAKING: AOC to endorse Bernie, says the Washington Post: https://t.co/UjdSoOe9f4
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 16, 2019
Bernie Sanders to be endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an influential voice among young liberals, at campaign rally on Saturday https://t.co/tdETorhew9
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 16, 2019
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, along with progressive freshmen Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, are endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, several sources told CNN on Wednesday. https://t.co/oX3IHeJtEB
— CNN (@CNN) October 16, 2019
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