Rep. Rashida Tlaib will not be joining her fellow Squad members, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, in endorsing Joseph R. Biden for president, explaining that casting a vote against President Trump is inspiration enough for people to vote against him in November.
During an interview with Newsweek published Monday, Ms. Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, said the general election is about getting rid of Mr. Trump, not voting for Mr. Biden.
“If the ultimate goal is to get rid of Donald Trump, that doesn’t have to involve me actually endorsing Biden,” she said. “My constituents don’t need to be bogged down in, ‘Is he the best candidate?’ That’s not what you have to convince my residents. They need to come out in droves and be inspired by something. And that is going to be a vote against Donald Trump.”
Asked directly whether she wanted Mr. Biden to win the White House, Ms. Tlaib replied, “If there is one person who wants Donald Trump out of the White House, it’s me. And I’m going to work extremely hard. I don’t have to have a campaign plan for November because I have a safe Democratic seat, but I’m going to [campaign]. Why? Because my residents cannot afford another four years of Trump. They just can’t.”
The first-year lawmaker is facing a competitive primary on Aug. 4 against Detroit City Council president and former Rep. Brenda Jones, who has endorsed Mr. Biden for president, The Hill reported.
