Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has become the member of “The Squad” not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, with several of the progressive lawmakers even issuing formal endorsements after President Joe Biden announced that he would not seek re-election—endorsing Harris himself on his way out the door.
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have all come out with statements endorsing Harris as “our next president” and the Democratic Party’s best chance at beating Donald Trump in November.
“The people’s vote was a vote not only for President Biden, but a vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and her ability to defeat MAGA extremism across the country,” said Bush, the first Squad member to publicly endorse Harris in a statement.
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In Pressley’s statement, she said “it is clear that Vice President Kamala Harris is the best person to lead our party and our nation forward.”
Omar tweeted a thanks to Biden for his service on X and said she was “thrilled to support [Kamala Harris] as our Democratic nominee and remain committed to working alongside her to defeat Donald Trump in November.”
On X, Ocasio-Cortez wrote that now more than ever it is “crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy.” She added, “Let’s get to work.”
However, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who has been one of Biden’s harshest critics did not endorse Harris and instead called for an open convention, The Detroit News reported. In a statement, Tlaib said she was “eager” to speak to Harris about a permanent ceasefire and “an end to the funding of genocide in Gaza.”
Harris launched her presidential campaign just minutes after Biden’s endorsement and announced that she would “earn and win” the nomination.
Several key Democratic leaders have thrown their support behind her with endorsements since then, though some big names within the party—including former President Barack Obama and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)—have not yet endorsed Harris.
