WASHINGTON — A Democrat running for Congress in Nevada claimed Tuesday that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid discouraged him from running because he is Muslim.
Jesse Sbaih said the comments from his fellow Nevada Democrat came during a meeting the two of them had at a Las Vegas casino last August to discuss Sbaih’s candidacy.
Sbaih said that Reid told him that, “to be blunt,” his Muslim religion would preclude him from winning the race.
Reid’s spokeswoman, Kristen Orthman, denied the allegation and accused Sbaih of lying. “Reid told him he couldn’t win but that had nothing to do with his religion, this is now Jesse’s version of events,” Orthman said.
