AOC Endorses Texan Greg Casar's Run for Congress

Highlighting his organizing history and progressive priorities, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Monday endorsed Greg Casar's campaign to represent Texas' newly redrawn 35th Congressional District.

"Because of his roots as a labor organizer, I know Greg and I will work together to organize year-round and deliver on Medicare for All, good jobs, and climate justice."

"Texas working families deserve a progressive Democrat like Greg who will show up and fight for them," said Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in a statement about the outgoing Austin City Council member.

"Because of his roots as a labor organizer, I know Greg and I will work together to organize year-round and deliver on Medicare for All, good jobs, and climate justice," she added. "I'm proud to support his campaign and will be doing everything I can to help him win this primary on March 1."

Casar is one of four Democrats participating in the primary to represent the new district that, as KXAN explains, "encompasses most of Travis County east of Interstate 35, but snakes south down the freeway through Hays and Comal counties, all the way into Bexar County and parts of San Antonio."

Longtime Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett--who currently represents Texas' 35th District--is now running in the 37th District, which is also in the Austin area.

Casar celebrated Ocasio-Cortez's support on Twitter and in a statement.

"Texas working families need a representative who will show up and fight for them--someone who will work to pass Medicare for All, stand up to corporate special interests, protect reproductive rights, and fix our grid," Casar said. "I'm honored to have earned the endorsement of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, who boldly fights for working families every single day. I look forward to working with her to deliver for TX-35 residents."

Other supporters of Casar's candidacy include U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.)--chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus--and Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), along with various Austin and Travis County figures.

The candidate is also backed by local, state, and national unions and progressive advocacy groups, such as Justice Democrats, Mijente, Our Revolution, Sunrise Movement, Working Families Party, and local chapters of Democratic Socialists of America, Indivisible, and Sunrise.

Earlier this month, Casar became the national Sunrise Movement's first open-seat endorsement of the 2022 cycle. The group framed him as a "champion" of the Green New Deal--the push for which is spearheaded in the House by Ocasio-Cortez.

"While corrupt, wealthy politicians fled the deadly Texas Freeze last year and continued to profit off of the destruction of Texas' communities, Greg Casar was on the ground, organizing and delivering lifesaving aid for his constituents," said Sunrise executive director Varshini Prakash.

"Greg is an unapologetic organizer, and young people are mobilizing in droves to elect a proven climate champion."

"Greg Casar proves that fighting the climate crisis in Texas is possible and popular," Prakash added. "Greg is an unapologetic organizer, and young people are mobilizing in droves to elect a proven climate champion. The momentum we see building among voters energized by climate disasters, mobilizing to elect a Green New Deal champion from their community is what Sunrise has worked for since its founding. Texas is ready for a Green New Deal, and we're excited to do all we can to elect Greg."

While welcoming Sunrise's endorsement, Casar also noted the deadly storms that hit Texas in February 2021, triggering a power crisis that left many residents without heat, food, or water.

"During the Texas winter storm, we saw firsthand how working-class neighborhoods were left to fend for themselves for days or weeks while the state's top officials blamed renewable energy or flew to the beach," Casar said in an apparent reference to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who came under fire for traveling with his family to Cancun, Mexico last year.

"Texans deserve leadership who will fight and deliver for them," Casar added. "I'm proud to have earned the endorsement of Sunrise Movement, because together we can fix the power grid, fight for a future for our children, and create a sustainable planet for us all."