Nina Turner’s US House bid garners early support from prominent liberals

The list of Turner supporters boasts Cori Bush, Killer Mike, Danny Glover and Charlamagne Tha God.

Top progressives are gearing up to support the Ohio congressional campaign of former state Sen. Nina Turner in the special election to replace Rep. Marcia Fudge, who has been tapped to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Biden administration.

Turner, a top surrogate and campaign co-chair for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in his presidential bid, announced her intention to run Tuesday.

Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, and Rep-elect Cori Bush, the first Black woman elected to Congress from Missouri, have both signed on to endorse and support Turner.

Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sanders, will also be supporting Turner’s run.

The group has more than 16,000 supporters in Ohio, who will be mobilized to do phone banking, text messaging and canvassing neighborhoods door-to-door.

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In addition, Turner has racked up the support of several high-profile celebrities, including Killer Mike, Danny Glover and Charlamagne Tha God.

“Nina will bring a phenomenal commitment to a $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All and free public college. I am all in for her,” said Khanna. “This is an endorsement of conviction. I will be emailing my list, raising money and mobilizing volunteers.”

The early endorsement of prominent government and entertainment figures could result in a major fundraising push for Turner, who is expected to come out of the gate with a strong showing.

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Shontel Brown, the head of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, is also considering running for the seat, as is former Cleveland Councilman Jeff Johnson, who has criticized Turner’s progressive stance as too far-left to work with Biden’s agenda.

“Trying to make the Democratic Party better and insist very strongly that it answers to the cries of the people — to me that’s what being a Democrat is,” Turner said Monday, “not just going along to get along.”

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“The partnership between President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris shows that people can have their differences,” she continued. “[She] called out the vice president on his record on race with substance — very strongly, she did — and look at their partnership now.”

If the Senate confirms Fudge as HUD secretary, a date for a special election to replace her in Congress will be set by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

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