People Have Donated Thousands of Dollars to Convince Khizr Khan to Run for Office

A Democratic activist is raising money in an attempt to convince Khizr Khan to run for the Virginia House of Delegates.

Khan spoke at the Democratic National Convention about his son Humayun Khan, a Muslim American army captain who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004, and attacked Republican Donald Trump. Trump later responded by saying he, too, had made sacrifices, which sparked criticism from many, including families of fallen soldiers.

Vietnam War veteran Tom Keefe launched the fundraiser, dubbed “Yes We Khan,” on Crowdpac.com Wednesday, NBC News reports. It had raised more than $12,000 by Thursday afternoon.

“We need more candidates like Khizr Khan, not Donald Trump, to run for office in America,” Keefe wrote on the fundraising page. “Mr. Khan is someone who has achieved the American Dream and made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Donald Trump couldn’t even name a single sacrifice he has made.”

The page aims to encourage Khan to run, but donors will only be charged if Khan actually decides to run; Khan hasn’t yet commented on the effort.

Currently, Robert B. Bell, a Republican holds the state delegate seat in Virginia’s 58th district.

[NBC News]