(BrightPress.org) – In a surprising turn of events, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who recently defended Biden on Instagram, has now pledged her full support for Kamala Harris after Biden exited the 2024 race. Ocasio-Cortez declared on X that Harris would be the next President and emphasized the need for unity to defeat Donald Trump.
Ocasio-Cortez spent an hour on Instagram discussing the dangers of Biden’s departure. She warned that Democrats are not united behind Harris and criticized the lack of planning from party leadership. Despite these concerns, she now supports Harris, highlighting the importance of stability leading up to the election.
Squad member and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar also endorsed Harris, expressing gratitude for Biden’s service and excitement to support Harris in the upcoming election. Omar’s support comes despite previous calls from some Democrats for Biden to resign.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, another Squad member, endorsed Harris on X. She had previously criticized efforts to remove Biden, stating that Democrats were losing focus. Rep. Rashida Tlaib has not made a public statement about Biden’s decision to step aside. Tlaib has been critical of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict and urged voters against him in Michigan’s primary.
“The Squad,” an informal group of progressive Democratic representatives, includes Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley, and Tlaib. Their quick support for Harris marks a significant shift, given their previous skepticism of the vice president.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has withheld his endorsement until Harris reveals a working-class agenda. He emphasized the need for Harris to address the concerns of people who feel forgotten. Despite not endorsing yet, Sanders expressed his desire for Harris to win.
Within 30 hours of Biden’s announcement, 90 percent of the House Democratic caucus publicly backed Harris. Leading progressives like Ocasio-Cortez and Pramila Jayapal emphasized that their support for Harris does not mean they agree with all her policies. They see backing Harris as essential to defeating Trump, given the tight timeline before the convention.
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