Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) on Tuesday threw her support behind former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner (D) in her bid to represent the Ohio’s 11th Congressional District.
“If we are going to make real progress on the urgent crises facing all of our communities, we need lawmakers who are committed to legislating boldly – that’s Nina,” Pressley said in a statement endorsing Turner.
Pressey said Turner, who previously served as a national co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, has been “unapologetic in her advocacy and her vision for the communities” in her district.
“As I’ve always said, policy is my love language, and I know Nina shares my belief in what we can accomplish when we create policies intentionally and in deep partnership with the community. I’m proud to endorse her candidacy, and look forward to working with her in Congress,” she added in a statement obtained by The Hill.
The endorsement makes Pressley the latest member of the progressive group of female congresswomen — which also includes Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) — to back Turner in the race.
Ocasio-Cortez, Omar and Tlaib have already endorsed Turner. First-term Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) have also backed the former state senator.
Pressley’s endorsement brings the total number of congressional members who have endorsed Turner’s candidacy to 14.
Turner thanked Pressley for the endorsement in a statement and said she was “truly grateful” for the congresswoman’s support.
“Like me, Congresswoman Pressley leans on her own life experiences to create informed policies that speak to the needs of the people she serves,” Turner said.
“I look forward to working side by side with her in congress to take full advantage of this opportunity to go bold on behalf of the people,” she said.
Turner is running to fill the opening left by former Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), who vacated the seat when President Biden tapped her to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Turner faces a crowded Democratic field in the special election to fill the seat. According to local media, more than a dozen Democrats are expected to be on the ballot when the primary takes place in early August. The special election for the seat has been set for November.
Her opponents include Cuyahoga County Council Representative Shontel Brown, who drew the backing of former secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the race earlier this month.