Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on Wednesday scolded progressives who may “plan to sit this election out or vote for Trump.” She issued her warning after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announced the suspension of his presidential bid, begging them to remain active and “fight like hell” to oust President Trump and “end the rise of fascism in this country.”
Sanders formally ended his year-long campaign on Wednesday, conceding that the path to the nomination simply is not feasible. He tried to encourage supporters, reminding them of their greater movement and contending that they are “winning the ideological battle.”
Omar, one of the three “Squad” members who endorsed the Vermont socialist, also sent a message to Sanders supporters amid the movement’s “setback” and urged them to remain active.
“We always knew it would not happen overnight. But I know our cause is just. And I am more committed than ever to fighting for somebody I don’t know,” she said as part of a lengthy Twitter thread, sending a pointed message to those who may be planning to sit out the election or vote for Trump instead of Joe Biden (D), the party’s presumptive nominee.
“For those of you who plan to sit this election out or vote for Trump, just stop,” she said. “The livelihoods of millions of marginalized people are at stake.”
“We must all fight like hell to get Donald Trump out of the White House and end the rise of fascism in this country,” she added:
Omar’s warning comes as Democrats scramble to rally voters under the Democrat Party umbrella to embrace the former vice president. Many fear a repeat of 2016, with Sanders supporters remaining obstinate and refusing to show up to the polls due to what they said was an election rigged against their candidate, who this cycle, won the popular vote in the first three states and once held the status as the party’s frontrunner. It is an accusation that bubbled up again this cycle as Democrat figures conveniently came out of the woodwork right before Super Tuesday to back Biden, leading to Sanders’ ultimate downfall.
Omar’s message also reflects an emerging theme from the progressive wing of the Democrat Party. Many have yet to fully rally behind Biden, instead emphasizing the need to remove President Trump from office.
Even Sanders has yet to formally endorse Biden, telling the Late Show host Stephen Colbert on Wednesday that “we’re going to be talking to Joe” and his team of advisors.
“But what I have said — I can tell you this, Stephen. What I said from the first day that I announced my intention to run for president, I will do everything that I can to make sure that Donald trump is not re-elected,” Sanders said, echoing the sentiments widely espoused by those in the progressive wing of the party.
“Because I believe Trump has been the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country, and we’re seeing his narcissism, his ignorance playing out in terms of the pandemic we’re experiencing right now,” he added: