CAMPA-NAJJAR WINS KEY DEMOCRATIC PARTY ENDORSEMENT IN 50TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

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East County News Service

January 28, 2018 (San Diego) -- The California Democratic Party's Region 18 this week endorsed Ammar Campa-Najjar for Congress in the 50th district at its pre-endorsement conference, which included delegates from East County and San Diego. 

Campa-Najjar received 97% of the delegate vote in a four-way contest with candidate Josh Butner and potential candidates Patrick Malloy and Larry Tract. Since Campa-Najjar exceeded the threshold of 70% of the vote, the party's state convention is expected to ratify the region's recommendation on February 25th, which would give a major boost to Campa-Najjar in his effort to win the June primary and square off against incumbent Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter in November.

"I am humbled to have earned this endorsement by such a wide margin," said Campa-Najjar, who has raised over half a million dollars to date for his campaign.  He adds that during his campaign, he has been meeting people across the district at farms and rodeos, bars and diners, churches, mosques, synagogues, college campuses and senior centers, VFW halls and memorials, libraries, city halls, rallies, backyards, living rooms and dining rooms.

"Now is the time to lead - carrying the hopes, dreams, and fears of CA50 with me every step of the way,” he says, adding that he hopes to win to help return a Democratic majority to Congress. 

Campa-Najjar's strategy is to follow the Democratic Party's Alabama playbook by changing the electorate in his favor. “The Campa Campaign will inspire and deliver increased turnout among minorities, younger voters, progressives, independents and women,” his campaign indicates in a press release. Campa-Najjar is of Hispanic and Middle Eastern heritage; CA50 residents are 35% Latino, 15% Middle Eastern descent, and the district's four college campuses serve 74,000 students.

Campa-Najjar has garnered many prominent Democratic endorsements and significant labor support including:

Justice Democrats

Escondido Democratic Club

Fallbrook Democratic Club

Democrats of Southwest Riverside County

Democratic Women’s Club of San Diego

San Diego Democrats for Environmental Action

San Diego Progressive Democratic Club

San Diego Democrats for Equality

California College Democrats

San Diego Young Democrats

Communication Workers of America Local 9509

Plumbers Steamfitters HVACR Local 230

Indivisible CA50

Escondido Councilmember Olga Diaz

La Mesa Councilmember Colin Parent

Lemon Grove Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza

San Diego Councilmember David Alvarez

Carlsbad Councilmember Cori Schumacher

Former San Diego County Democratic Chair Jess Durfee

Imperial Beach Mayor Pro Tempore Mark West

A former Obama administration Labor Department official, he has also served with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. His platform includes job creation and economic growth, Medicare for All, a clean DREAM Act, investing in renewable energy and overturning Citizens United.

For more information, go to www.campacampaign.com.


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Comments

Concerned with Ammar's background

I did a bit of research and see that Ammar Campa-Najarr attended school up through 8th grade in what some might consider a radical Islamic environment, run by the same mosque that sheltered two of the 911 hijackers. I am just concerned that during his formative years and at the very time that 911 occurred and for at least the next three years, he was at this location, being so influenced. This is not information readily obtainable, his life is not an open book, and it should be. I have concerns in this regard. Members of Congress must be, as much as is possible, from backgrounds we can rely on. I also think he is very young and inexperienced. We must not vote for people just because they are of one ethnicity or another, or even what they currently say, but take a very close look at their history, as well.

Ammar Campa-Najjar is a

Ammar Campa-Najjar is a Christian who reportedly worked in youth ministry at a local church.  His parents were different faiths. He is not Muslim, though did attend Muslim school early in life.  He has publicly renounced violent acts by Muslim extremists, includnig a grandfather he says he never met, and he has endorsement of local rabbis.

Here is what the Union-Tribune wrote about Ammar Campa-Najjar and his faith:

While his mother is Catholic and his father Muslim, and he spent time as a teenager living with a great-uncle who is a Catholic priest, Campa-Najjar is Protestant. He said his faith began to develop when working his first job as a janitor and a groundskeeper at Eastlake Community Church — the closest place to his house where he could find work as a 15-year-old. Later, he was an assistant to the pastor and worked in the youth ministry.

“We could write a whole darn piece on my faith, but I don’t think you’d find it interesting,” he said. “But for me, it’s a part of me running, and my Christian faith informs a lot of what I do, this ‘Caring for the least of these’ has a lot to do with my campaign,” Campa-Najjar said, quoting Matthew’s Gospel.