Controversial ‘squad’ member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has explained where she thinks the Democratic presidential ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., went wrong.
According to Omar, the campaign’s choice to embrace the endorsements of former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, was ‘a huge misstep.’
This was especially true in battleground state Michigan, she told the Minnesota Star-Tribune, because it was where the Uncommitted Movement maintained a stronghold.
The Uncommitted Movement specifically withheld support from President Joe Biden — and then Harris — because of its disapproval of their handling of the war in Gaza. Particularly, a large population of Arabs and Muslims in Michigan believed the U.S. was not holding Israel accountable for death and destruction in Gaza.
‘You have the one name for my generation and generations younger than me that is synonymous with war,’ Omar said of Cheney.
‘It does say something about where your priorities are, even if those are not your priorities.’
As part of the Harris-Walz campaign’s strategy to attract disaffected Republicans, they advertised former Rep. Cheney’s endorsement and even hosted an event with her and Harris in battleground state Wisconsin.
She also explained why she thought Harris lost the city of Dearborn, Michigan, which is home to a large Arab community. The congresswoman pointed to the fact that President-elect Donald Trump met with the Democratic mayor, but Harris and Walz were only willing to send staff.
‘I think that personal touch for that community made the difference,’ Omar said. ‘We could have had that personal touch.’
Despite her past record of criticism of and opposition to Trump, Omar claimed she’d be open to collaborating with his administration. She maintained that she would still be opposing ‘hurtful’ policies towards her constituents, though.
With Trump returning to office, Omar said she is afraid that Israel will get the ‘green light’ to ‘finish their genocidal war.’
The Harris-Walz team did not provide comment in time for publication.