Top Muslim PAC backs Biden after Sanders' withdrawal

A top Muslim political action committee has endorsed Joe Biden, days after Bernie Sanders urged his supporters to back the former vice president.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

17 April, 2020

Joe Biden has pledged to end Donald Trump's 'Muslim ban' [Getty]

A leading US Muslim political action committee (PAC) has endorsed former US Vice President Joe Biden for the country's top job.

Emgage, which describes itself as America's first and largest Muslim PAC, said its decision was based upon Biden's pledge to end President Donald Trump's travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, to reform the immigration system and several other issues.

"Our nation, and indeed the world, are at a crossroad. Beyond the immediate devastation caused by Covid-19, we are facing an all-out assault against democratic principles and values at home and abroad that we have not seen since the rise of fascism and Nazisim early in the 20th century,” Emgage CEO Wa'el Alzayat told Politico.

“Joe Biden is the type of leader who can restore America's promise to its citizens, especially its most vulnerable, and to the world.”

Emgage had previously backed Vermont senator Bernie Sanders as Democratic presidential nominee. Sanders suspended his campaign last week and threw his weight behind Biden on Monday, telling his followers that it would be "irresponsible" not to support Biden.

Sanders initially exceeded sky-high expectations about his ability to recreate the magic of his 2016 presidential bid, and even overcame a heart attack last October on the campaign trail.

His campaign had won the support of the first two Muslim women elected to the US House of Representatives, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.

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But he found himself unable to convert unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination amid "electability" fears fueled by questions about whether his democratic socialist ideology would be palatable to general election voters.

Sanders, though, used strong polling and solid fundraising — collected almost entirely from small donations made online — to more than quiet early doubters.

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