Ilhan Omar blasts Harris-Walz campaign for courting Liz Cheney: ‘Huge misstep’

Controversial “squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., has shared her thoughts on where she believes the Democratic presidential ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., went wrong. According to Omar, the decision to embrace the endorsements of former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, was a significant misstep in the campaign.

Omar highlighted the impact of this choice, particularly in battleground state Michigan, where the Uncommitted Movement held a strong presence. This movement withheld support from President Joe Biden and Harris due to their disapproval of their handling of the conflict in Gaza. Many Arabs and Muslims in Michigan felt that the U.S. was not holding Israel accountable for the violence in Gaza, which influenced their decision not to support the Democratic ticket.

The congresswoman criticized the decision to bring on Cheney, stating, “You have the one name for my generation and generations younger than me that is synonymous with war.” She emphasized that aligning with Cheney sent a message about the campaign’s priorities, even if they did not align with her own.

As part of their strategy to attract disaffected Republicans, the Harris-Walz campaign promoted Cheney’s endorsement and even held an event with her and Harris in Wisconsin. However, Omar believed that this approach alienated key voter demographics, such as the Arab community in Dearborn, Michigan. She pointed to a missed opportunity for personal engagement with this community, contrasting Trump’s meeting with the Democratic mayor with Harris and Walz only sending staff members.

Despite her history of criticism towards Trump, Omar expressed openness to collaborating with his administration while maintaining her opposition to policies that she deemed harmful to her constituents. With concerns about the potential implications of Trump returning to office, particularly in relation to Israel, Omar emphasized the need to remain vigilant against what she described as a “genocidal war.”

The Harris-Walz team did not provide a comment at the time of publication. Julia Johnson, a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, led the coverage of the U.S. Senate and was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner. Readers can follow Julia’s reporting on Twitter at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.