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'''Ammar Campa-Najjar''' is a political activist and [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the 2020 election. He is running to represent [[California's 50th congressional district]], which includes parts of [[San Diego County]] and [[Riverside County]], against incumbent Congressman [[Duncan D. Hunter]]. He previously lost to Hunter in the 2018 election. He is the first Latino-Arab American to run for Congress.<ref name=":0" />
'''Ammar Campa-Najjar''' is a political activist and [[California Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the 2020 election. He is running to represent [[California's 50th congressional district]], which includes parts of [[San Diego County]] and [[Riverside County]], against incumbent Congressman [[Duncan D. Hunter]]. He previously lost to Hunter in the 2018 election. He is the first Latino-Arab American to run for Congress.<ref name=":0" />

⚫
== Family ==
⚫
His father Yasser Najjar is [[Palestinian]] and his mother Abigail Campa is [[Mexican American]]. His mother is a practicing [[Catholic]].<ref name=":3" /> Following the assassination of his parents by Israeli Special Forces Yasser Najjar and his siblings were sent to [[Cairo]] by [[King Hassan II of Morocco]]. The siblings were separated over the following years with Yasser attending school in England before immigrating to the US and obtaining American citizenship. He moved to San Diego in 1981 and earned an MBA from [[San Diego State University]]. Abigail Campa grew up in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego and she and Yasser married in the 1980s. In 1994 Yasser traveled to Gaza to work for the newly legitimized [[Palestinian National Authority]] and explore his families roots. While working for the PNA he was seen as a moderate who advocated for peace. In his later years he was an important internal critic of Palestinian hardliners. During his time in Gaza he attempted to counteract the rising influence of [[HAMAS]].<ref name="Union-Tribune 2018" />

===Abu Yusuf al-Najjar ===
Campa-Najjar’s grandfather Abu Yusuf al-Najjar has been the subject of significant controversy. In 1965 while working in Kuwait Abu Yusuf al-Najjar founded [[Fatah]] along with [[Yasser Arafat]] and other exiled Palestinians.<ref name="Union-Tribune 2018">{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Chales T. |title=Under attack by Hunter, Campa-Najjar’s complex family history spans continents and generations of Middle East strife |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-najjar-family-history-20181030-story.html |website=www.sandiegouniontribune.com |publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> Abu Yusuf al-Najjar was long believed to have been affiliated with the [[Munich massacre]]. Al-Najjar was among those targeted in Israeli retribution attacks known as “Operation Wrath of God.” On April 9, 1973 al-Najjar and his wife were assassinated in front of their children in their home in [[Beirut, Lebanon]] by Israeli Commandos including future Prime Minister [[Ehud Barak]].<ref name="Union-Tribune 2018" /> In February 2018 a book published by [[Ronen Bergman]], [[Rise and Kill First]], challenged this historical assumption.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horovitz |first1=David |title=Mossad chose not to nab Mengele, didn’t hunt down Munich terrorists, book claims |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-chose-not-to-nab-mengele-didnt-hunt-down-munich-terrorists-book-claims/ |website=www.timesofisrael.com |publisher=Times of Israel |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref> In 2019 in response to this new information Campa-Najjar withdrew some of the condemnations he had made against his grandfather.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Touchberry |first1=Ramsey |title=AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR, DUNCAN HUNTER'S OPPONENT, HAS 'RENEWED SKEPTICISM' OF RELATIVE ONCE TIED TO TERRORISM |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ammar-campa-najjar-duncan-hunter-opponent-changes-position-grandfather-terrorism-1449442 |website=www.newsweek.com |publisher=News Week |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Billingsley |first1=Lloyd |title=Republicans Aim To Be Hunter Killers |url=https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/republicans-aim-to-be-hunter-killers/ |website=californiaglobe.com |publisher=California Globe |accessdate=2 October 2019}}</ref>


== Early life and education ==
== Early life and education ==
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Campa-Najjar has advocated enhanced vetting and the empowerment of moderate Muslims to help end terrorism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/homeland-security/321198-9-11-hijackers-attended-my-mosque-moderate-muslims-could|title=Enhanced vetting, moderate Muslims are key to ending terrorism|last=Campa-Najjar|first=Ammar|date=February 25, 2017|work=TheHill|access-date=May 26, 2018|language=en}}</ref> He has advocated for apprenticeship programs that pay people as they learn, for example the [[Registered Apprenticeship]] job training initiative, which has bipartisan support.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/11/the-push-for-education-programs-that-pay-people-as-they-learn/546329/|title=The Push for Education Programs That Pay People As They Learn|last=Fadulu|first=Lolade|work=The Atlantic|access-date=February 16, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/opinion-obama-apprenticeship-trump-should-continue-n702756|title=Opinion: An Obama 'apprenticeship' that Trump should continue|work=NBC News|access-date=February 16, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-elections-2018-50-congressional-district-race-ammar-campa-najjar-20180524-story.html|title=50th Congressional District candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar on the issues|last=Union-Tribune|first=San Diego|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=May 26, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
Campa-Najjar has advocated enhanced vetting and the empowerment of moderate Muslims to help end terrorism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/homeland-security/321198-9-11-hijackers-attended-my-mosque-moderate-muslims-could|title=Enhanced vetting, moderate Muslims are key to ending terrorism|last=Campa-Najjar|first=Ammar|date=February 25, 2017|work=TheHill|access-date=May 26, 2018|language=en}}</ref> He has advocated for apprenticeship programs that pay people as they learn, for example the [[Registered Apprenticeship]] job training initiative, which has bipartisan support.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/11/the-push-for-education-programs-that-pay-people-as-they-learn/546329/|title=The Push for Education Programs That Pay People As They Learn|last=Fadulu|first=Lolade|work=The Atlantic|access-date=February 16, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/opinion-obama-apprenticeship-trump-should-continue-n702756|title=Opinion: An Obama 'apprenticeship' that Trump should continue|work=NBC News|access-date=February 16, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-elections-2018-50-congressional-district-race-ammar-campa-najjar-20180524-story.html|title=50th Congressional District candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar on the issues|last=Union-Tribune|first=San Diego|work=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=May 26, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

⚫
== Family ==
⚫
His father Yasser Najjar is [[Palestinian]] and his mother Abigail Campa is [[Mexican American]]. His mother is a practicing [[Catholic]].<ref name=":3" /> Yasser Najjar attended school in England before immigrating to the US and obtaining American citizenship. He moved to San Diego in 1981 and earned an MBA from [[San Diego State University]]. Abigail Campa grew up in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego and she and Yasser married in the 1980s.


Campa-Najjar’s grandfather Abu Yusuf al-Najjar was once suggested to have been affiliated with the [[Munich massacre]]. In February 2018 a book published by [[Ronen Bergman]], [[Rise and Kill First]], challenged this assumption.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Horovitz |first1=David |title=Mossad chose not to nab Mengele, didn’t hunt down Munich terrorists, book claims |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-chose-not-to-nab-mengele-didnt-hunt-down-munich-terrorists-book-claims/ |website=www.timesofisrael.com |publisher=Times of Israel |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref>




== 2018 congressional campaign ==
== 2018 congressional campaign ==

Revision as of 02:15, 7 October 2019

Ammar Campa-Najjar
Born
La Mesa, California
NationalityAmerican
Alma materSan Diego State University (BA)
Occupation(s)Activist and Non-profit director
Political partyDemocratic Party
OpponentDuncan D. Hunter
Parents
  • Yasser Najjar (father)
  • Abigail Campa (mother)
Websitehttps://www.campacampaign.com/

Ammar Campa-Najjar is a political activist and Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives in the 2020 election. He is running to represent California's 50th congressional district, which includes parts of San Diego County and Riverside County, against incumbent Congressman Duncan D. Hunter. He previously lost to Hunter in the 2018 election. He is the first Latino-Arab American to run for Congress.[1]

Family

His father Yasser Najjar is Palestinian and his mother Abigail Campa is Mexican American. His mother is a practicing Catholic.[2] Following the assassination of his parents by Israeli Special Forces Yasser Najjar and his siblings were sent to Cairo by King Hassan II of Morocco. The siblings were separated over the following years with Yasser attending school in England before immigrating to the US and obtaining American citizenship. He moved to San Diego in 1981 and earned an MBA from San Diego State University. Abigail Campa grew up in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego and she and Yasser married in the 1980s. In 1994 Yasser traveled to Gaza to work for the newly legitimized Palestinian National Authority and explore his families roots. While working for the PNA he was seen as a moderate who advocated for peace. In his later years he was an important internal critic of Palestinian hardliners. During his time in Gaza he attempted to counteract the rising influence of HAMAS.[3]

Abu Yusuf al-Najjar

Campa-Najjar’s grandfather Abu Yusuf al-Najjar has been the subject of significant controversy. In 1965 while working in Kuwait Abu Yusuf al-Najjar founded Fatah along with Yasser Arafat and other exiled Palestinians.[3] Abu Yusuf al-Najjar was long believed to have been affiliated with the Munich massacre. Al-Najjar was among those targeted in Israeli retribution attacks known as “Operation Wrath of God.” On April 9, 1973 al-Najjar and his wife were assassinated in front of their children in their home in Beirut, Lebanon by Israeli Commandos including future Prime Minister Ehud Barak.[3] In February 2018 a book published by Ronen Bergman, Rise and Kill First, challenged this historical assumption.[4] In 2019 in response to this new information Campa-Najjar withdrew some of the condemnations he had made against his grandfather.[5][6]

Early life and education

Campa-Najjar was born in La Mesa, California.[2] In 1998, his family left San Diego and he attended a Catholic school in the Gaza Strip.[7] At age fifteen-and-a-half, he worked as a janitor to help his single mother pay bills.[8] While in high school, Ammar converted to Christianity.[9] He considers himself to be Latino.[10]

He attended community college at Southwestern College, and later graduated from San Diego State University, where he earned dual bachelor's degrees in philosophy and psychology. He is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Arabic.[11]

Career

Campa-Najjar worked as a deputy regional field director for Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign.[12] During the Obama Administration, Campa-Najjar served in the Labor Department's Office of Public Affairs for the Employment and Training Administration. He was tasked with reading and helping select the 10 letters that President Obama would read each day.[13]

He has also worked for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce[12] as the communications and marketing director.[14] In this capacity, he prepared to interview then-candidate Donald Trump,[15] who ultimately pulled out of the scheduled event,[16] despite having earlier told Geraldo Rivera in an interview that he would attend.[17]

Campa-Najjar has advocated enhanced vetting and the empowerment of moderate Muslims to help end terrorism.[18] He has advocated for apprenticeship programs that pay people as they learn, for example the Registered Apprenticeship job training initiative, which has bipartisan support.[19][20][21]

2018 congressional campaign

Campa-Najjar cited the call to service in Barack Obama's farewell address as an inspiration to run for Congress.[22] Campa-Najjar supports environmentally sustainable developments, including solar farms.[23] Campa-Najjar has advocated for registering young people to vote, especially those who will be 18 by 2018, because they will be on the receiving end of climate change and increasing levels of indebtedness.[1] His top domestic issue is training Americans to fill job vacancies, and his top international issue is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has cited economic inequality as a top issue facing California, "other than the severe droughts and fires" [24].

On February 2, 2018, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Campa-Najjar had outraised both the Republican incumbent, Duncan Hunter, and his Democratic rival, Josh Butner.[25] On June 5, 2018, Campa-Najjar placed second in the nonpartisan blanket primary, earning a chance to compete against Hunter in November[12]. Campa-Najjar credited support from Our Revolution as an important factor in the primary victory.[26] The San Diego Union-Tribune has explicitly endorsed Campa-Najjar as superior to Duncan Hunter, citing the "lunacy" of incumbent Duncan Hunter.[27]

The 2018 campaign was defined by the use of Islamophobic and bigoted language by the Hunter campaign.[28] In October 2018 Hunter’s father Duncan Hunter doubled down on his son’s hateful rhetoric and attacked Campa-Najjar as a security risk.[29]

Coverage

Campa-Najjar's candidacy has attracted international attention due to allegations that his paternal grandfather was involved with the 1972 Munich massacre.[30] Campa-Najjar acknowledged and denounced the alleged crimes of his grandfather who died in 1973, 16 years before he was born.[31]

Campa-Najjar's campaign has also received a notable degree of coverage following the indictment of his opponent, Duncan Hunter, for stealing campaign funds for personal use.[32] Hunter’s scandal gave Campa-Najjar’s campaign a boost but it was not enough to overcome Hunter’s negative messaging.[33]

He also received significant international coverage as the first Arab-Latino congressional candidate in the United States.[34][35]

His loss garnered considerable coverage because of the effective use of anti-Muslim stereotypes against a non-Muslim candidate.[36][37] However Campa-Najjar has said that he does not blame bigotry for his defeat.[38]

2020 congressional campaign

He has announced that he will run for the same seat again in 2020.[39][40][41] He announced his candidacy on Twitter a day after filing his paperwork with the FEC.[42] He has stated that his 2020 campaign will run on the dual platform of economic security and national security.[43] Campa-Najjar says that this time around he will make a more concerted effort to reach out to conservative voters, especially veterans.[44]

Controversies

CAIR and Muslim Brotherhood support

In 2018 Duncan Hunter’s ccampaign ran an ad in which they claimed that Campa-Najjar had received support from Council on American–Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. The fact checking orginization Politifact comprehensively evaluated the claim found it to be entirely without merit.[45]

References

  1. ^ a b McNamara, Brittney. "Why This Young Latinx-Arab American Is Running For Congress". Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Campa-Najjar, Ammar. "From the Barrio to Gaza to the White House". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Clark, Chales T. "Under attack by Hunter, Campa-Najjar's complex family history spans continents and generations of Middle East strife". www.sandiegouniontribune.com. San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  4. ^ Horovitz, David. "Mossad chose not to nab Mengele, didn't hunt down Munich terrorists, book claims". www.timesofisrael.com. Times of Israel. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  5. ^ Touchberry, Ramsey. "AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR, DUNCAN HUNTER'S OPPONENT, HAS 'RENEWED SKEPTICISM' OF RELATIVE ONCE TIED TO TERRORISM". www.newsweek.com. News Week. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  6. ^ Billingsley, Lloyd. "Republicans Aim To Be Hunter Killers". californiaglobe.com. California Globe. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  7. ^ Campa-Najjar, Ammar (November 19, 2016). "I'm a Hispanic-Arab American, and Trump's election doesn't shake my belief in America". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  8. ^ Cavanaugh, Brooke Ruth, Maureen. "Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar Counting On Underrepresented Voters In 50th District". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved June 27, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "A young Latino Arab American throws his hat in the Congressional ring". NBC News. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  10. ^ Jade Hindmon, Brooke Ruth and. "Ammar Campa-Najjar On His Race For the 50th Congressional Seat". www.kpbs.org. kpbs. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  11. ^ Pero Like (June 21, 2017), 10 Fun Facts With Ammar Campa-Najjar, retrieved June 28, 2018
  12. ^ a b c "Ammar Campa-Najjar - Ballotpedia". Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  13. ^ Mehta, Seema. "Obama's former staffers hope to build upon his legacy as they run for office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  14. ^ "About Ammar Campa-Najjar". www.campacampaign.com. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  15. ^ Schreckinger, Ben (October 1, 2015). "Donald Trump is about to walk into a buzz saw". Politico. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  16. ^ Campbell, Colin (October 2, 2015). "Hispanic business group thrashes Donald Trump for suddenly backing out of its event". Business Insider. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  17. ^ Rivera, Geraldo (September 3, 2015). "Geraldo to Trump: You're wrong, boss, immigrant murder wave is factually false". Fox News. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  18. ^ Campa-Najjar, Ammar (February 25, 2017). "Enhanced vetting, moderate Muslims are key to ending terrorism". TheHill. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  19. ^ Fadulu, Lolade. "The Push for Education Programs That Pay People As They Learn". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  20. ^ "Opinion: An Obama 'apprenticeship' that Trump should continue". NBC News. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  21. ^ Union-Tribune, San Diego. "50th Congressional District candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar on the issues". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  22. ^ Campa-Najjar, Ammar. "About Ammar". Ammar Campa-Najjar for Congress. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  23. ^ McPhate, Mike (June 26, 2017). "California Today: Young, Arab, Latino and Vying for Congress". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  24. ^ "50th Congressional District candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar on the issues". San Diego Union-Tribune. May 24, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  25. ^ Stewart, Joshua. "Young, first-time candidates lead in campaign finances". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  26. ^ "Is Bernie Sanders' revolution finally taking hold in America?". The Independent. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  27. ^ Board, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial. "50th district: Anyone but Duncan Hunter". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  28. ^ Dickerson, Tim. "How Do You Defeat a Bigot?". www.rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  29. ^ Clark, Charles T. "Former Rep. Duncan Hunter goes to bat for his indicted son in bitter congressional re-election bid". www.sandiegouniontribune.com. San Diego Tribune. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  30. ^ Tibon, Amir (February 20, 2018). "Grandson of Munich Massacre Terrorist Is Running for Congress – Sounding a Peaceful Tone on Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  31. ^ Stewart, Joshua (February 21, 2018). "Congressional candidate renounces grandfather's violent legacy, calls for Middle East peace". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  32. ^ "The campaign fraud scandal around California Republican Duncan Hunter, explained". Vox. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  33. ^ Zaid Jilani, Ryan Grim and. "AMMAR CAMPA-NAJJAR, A WORKING-CLASS PROGRESSIVE, GETS A BOOST FROM INDICTMENT OF DUNCAN HUNTER". theintercept.com. The Intercept. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  34. ^ Michael R. Blood, Julie Watson and. "Meet US Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar: He's 29, Arab and suddenly relevant". english.alarabiya.net. al Arabiya. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  35. ^ "Palestinian-Mexican American politician running for US Congress". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  36. ^ Ismail, Aymann. "The Chilling Result in California's 50th District". slate.com. Slate. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  37. ^ Rosenburg, Jacob. "It's Not Just Fox Pumping Out the Racist "Replacement" Conspiracy. Here Are 15 Republicans Fanning the Flames". www.motherjones.com. Mother Jones. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  38. ^ Kopp, Emily. "Ammar Campa-Najjar Does Not Blame Bigotry for His Defeat". www.rollcall.com. Roll Call. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  39. ^ https://ballotpedia.org/Ammar_Campa-Najjar
  40. ^ https://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-abcarian-ammar-20190212-story.html
  41. ^ B. WHITE, JEREMY. "Issa weighs return to the House — through Duncan Hunter". www.politico.com. Politico. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  42. ^ Kopp, Emily. "Ammar Campa-Najjar will challenge indicted Duncan Hunter again in 2020". www.rollcall.com. Roll Call. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  43. ^ Ross, David. "Democratic candidate for congress Campa-Najjar: "When the other side goes low, I go local"". www.valleycenter.com. Valley Road Runner. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  44. ^ Schatz, Bryan. "Ammar Campa-Najjar Is Ready for a Rematch Against Indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter". www.motherjones.com. Mother Jones. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  45. ^ Jacobson, Louis. "Did CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood back a Democratic candidate?". www.politifact.com. politifact. Retrieved September 6, 2019.



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