Sanders, Omar to rally in Minneapolis

Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., left, and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., the sponsors of legislation to cancel all student loan debt, hold a news conference at the Capitol in Washington on June 24, 2019.
J. Scott Applewhite | AP

Updated Nov. 2, 10:11 a.m.

Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar will appear together next month at the University of Minnesota.

The Nov. 3 rally at Williams Arena on the Minneapolis campus is Sanders’ first visit to the state since this summer, when he campaigned at the State Fair. Omar, a first-term congresswoman from Minneapolis, was one of three freshman Democrats who recently endorsed Sanders' campaign for president in 2020.

They include New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who held a rally with Sanders in Queens last week. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, also endorsed Sanders and is holding a rally with him in Detroit.

Omar and Sanders have worked on legislation together in Washington, including a bill to make public college tuition free. They also co-sponsored legislation to provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student and prohibit schools that participate in federal school meal program from denying meals to kids.

“I have seen the values that motivate him — and his commitment to building a movement that represents marginalized communities across this country,” Omar said in a statement announcing her endorsement. “Bernie is leading a working class movement to defeat Donald Trump that transcends generation, ethnicity, and geography.”

The rallies are meant to energize the progressive base around Sanders’ presidential campaign as he's slipping behind Elizabeth Warren in the polls. Omar and others have taken some heat from Democrats for making endorsements in a race where more than a dozen candidates are still vying for the nomination.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the rally is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. It’s free and open to the public.

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