Top House Dem ‘vigorously’ endorses Ilhan Omar for re-election amid pro-Israel PAC criticism

The top Democrat in the House of Representatives “vigorously” endorsed “Squad” Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for re-election amid the congresswoman’s criticism of a pro-Israel political action committee (PAC).

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., threw his support behind Omar on Wednesday, “vigorously” endorsing the “Squad” Democrat with a long history of controversial comments about Israel.

“Rep. Omar has been elected by her constituents three times and has consistently stood up for them, including through her service on the House Budget Committee,” Jeffries said in a statement.

ILHAN OMAR CALLS ISRAEL LOBBY AIPAC A ‘RIGHT-WING’ PAC FUNDED BY ‘DARK MONEY’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., threw his hat behind Omar on Wednesday, “vigorously” endorsing the “Squad” Democrat with a long history of controversial comments about Israel. (POOL)

“As House Democratic Leader, I vigorously endorse her re-election and stand with her as we battle Extreme MAGA Republicans for the future of our nation,” he said in the statement shared with POLITICO.

Other leading House Democrats — both current and previous — are backing Omar’s re-election bid to Congress.

These include House Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, former House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, and former House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina.

Omar said in a statement that she is “proud to have earned the respect and support of every single member of the Democratic House leadership for my re-election campaign.”

Other leading House Democrats — both current and previous — are backing Omar’s re-election bid to Congress.

Party leaders typically endorse incumbents for re-election, but Omar presents a unique issue with her controversial statements on Israel and organizations supporting the Middle Eastern nation.

Omar recently called the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which calls itself bipartisan, a “right-wing super PAC” and accused it of being funded by “dark money.” 

Omar is accusing a pro-Israel group of working to unseat her with a more moderate primary challenger in the upcoming 2024 election. 

These include House Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, former House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, and former House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

The group recently helped facilitate a House Democrat-led trip to Israel spearheaded by Jeffries and Hoyer.

“THIS IS URGENT,” began an ad for Omar’s campaign on X, formerly Twitter. “A right-wing Super PAC funded by millions of dollars in Dark Money spending is working around the clock to unseat Ilhan from Congress in 2024.”

“AIPAC is recruiting moderate candidates to run against Ilhan and other progressive incumbents who are speaking out against the establishment and will spend MILLIONS on attack ads to silence our movement.

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“Their attacks will never stop the momentum of this movement, but we need your help to fight back with TV ads of our own. So if you can, please rush a donation to Ilhan’s campaign now to allow us to do so.”

A Jewish Insider report from early August suggested that AIPAC was actively working to find potential Democratic challengers to Omar and her fellow “Squad” member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman. 

Omar and Bowman were two of nine progressives who voted against a resolution affirming Israel was not a racist or apartheid state earlier this year.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.