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Report: Obama Endorses Nadler For Reelection

President Barack Obama has endorsed Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) for his re-election bid in the Democratic primary this month, as the senior Jewish congressman faces his first primary opponent in two decades, Politico New York reported.

According to the report, citing a source with the Nadler campaign, Obama recorded a robocall, is featured in a campaign mailer from the campaign and is expected to give Nadler a shout-out during a Democratic National Committee (DNC) fundraiser in Manhattan Wednesday night.

Rep. Nadler is one of 60 guests expected to attend the DNC fundraiser hosted by Kenneth Lerer and Katherine Sailer.

Nadler is “never afraid to put in the hard work to make a real and substantive difference,” Obama says in the robocall, according to Politico NY. “Jerry’s voice and leadership is what America needs. I am proud to endorse him for re-election, and urge you to join me in supporting Jerry Nadler for re-election on June 28.”

Nadler, who represents a large Liberal and Orthodox Jewish constituency in the largest Jewish district in the nation, has faced criticism for supporting the Iranian nuclear deal. Nadler announced his support for the international accord after receiving a lengthy letter from President Obama, which answered his concerns.

Last November, during a fundraiser for the DCCC hosted by Jonathan Allan Soros, Obama said he wanted “to single out Jerry (Nadler) for his courage and tenacity and being willing to take some really tough votes.” The president was likely referring to the congressman’s support of the Iran nuclear deal. “And one of the things that I’ve been proudest about over the course of the last several years, and nobody exemplifies that more than folks like Jerry and others who have taken some tough votes here. Democrats are politicians too. You have to worry about constituencies and polls, and trying to get reelected. But we tend to pay attention to facts and we tend to pay attention to evidence, and we actually listen to reason and arguments. And if it’s something that is the right thing to do, even if it’s tough politically, we do it. And the country is better off for it.”

Nadler is being challenged by Oliver Rosenberg, who made the Iran deal vote an issue in the campaign.

“Congressman Nadler’s leadership in engaging and cooperating with President Obama on securing a new security enhancement deal for Israel is of immense importance. Israel is indebted to both,” Alon Pinkas, former Israel’s Consul General in New York and a close friend of Nadler, told Jewish Insider. “He deserves the President’s endorsement.”

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