A group designated as a foreign terrorist organization is backing dozens of Democrat candidates in November’s election, including several seeking statewide office.
CAIR Action, the political arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, has released a 17-page voter guide identifying its preferred and endorsed candidates across Texas, from the top of the Democrat ticket down to local races.
Among those receiving the group’s “preferred” designation are U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico, gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, attorney general candidate Nathan Johnson, agriculture commissioner candidate Clayton Tucker, comptroller candidate Sarah Eckhardt, and railroad commissioner candidate Jon Rosenthal.
Lieutenant governor candidate Vikki Goodwin received an outright endorsement.
And the organization’s recommendations extend far beyond statewide races.
The voter guide identifies 26 candidates for the U.S. House and 55 candidates for the Texas House as either endorsed or preferred. All of them are Democrats.
CAIR Action describes endorsed candidates as strongly aligned with its priorities, while preferred candidates are considered more closely aligned than their alternatives.
On its website, CAIR Action identifies civil rights, immigration, domestic policy, foreign affairs, economic justice, and student rights among its policy priorities.
The organization has also advocated restricting U.S. weapons sales to Israel and opposing what it describes as Islamophobia. Its stated mission includes building Muslim political influence in local, state, and federal elections.
The extensive list of recommendations comes nearly a year after Gov. Greg Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law.
Abbott accused the organizations of supporting terrorism and attempting to impose Sharia law in Texas.
CAIR has denied the allegations and challenged the designation in federal court.
The voter guide does not indicate whether the candidates sought or accepted the organization’s support.
The recommendations come as early voting is underway for the November 3 General Election.
