Democratic House Members Face Primary Challenges Over Criticism of Israel
Several Democratic House members who have criticized Israel’s response to Hamas terrorist attacks are facing primary challenges for their seats in the 2024 congressional elections. The Biden administration and leaders from both parties have shown support for Israel following the attacks that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis. However, a few Democratic representatives who support Palestinian political interests have faced backlash for their criticism of Israel’s military actions.
One such representative facing a primary challenge is Cori Bush of Missouri’s 1st District. Bush, a former Black Lives Matter activist, has been vocal in opposing Israeli action in Gaza. She is being challenged by Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, who dropped his challenge to Republican Senator Josh Hawley to take on Bush. Bell cited Bush’s stance on Israel as a primary reason for his candidacy, stating that providing aid to a terrorist organization like Hamas is unacceptable.
Ilhan Omar, a member of the influential Squad and a representative from Minnesota’s 5th District, has also faced criticism for her rhetoric on Israel. Omar, who was previously banned from visiting Israel over allegations of anti-Semitic remarks, has drawn a primary challenger, Tim Peterson, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Peterson has made Omar’s rhetoric a central issue in his campaign, accusing her of continuously supporting Hamas over Israel’s right to self-defense.
Another member of the Squad, Summer Lee from Pennsylvania’s 12th District, has also drawn a primary challenger, Bhaviai Patel, who accused Lee of equivocating on her response to antisemitic protests in her district. Patel criticized Lee for failing to show support after the loss of innocent lives caused by Hamas attacks.
Jamaal Bowman, representing New York’s 16th District, is potentially facing a primary challenge from Democratic County Executive George Latimer of Westchester County, where significant Jewish populations reside. Latimer has reportedly considered challenging Bowman due to disagreements over Israel.
Rashida Tlaib, representing Michigan’s 12th District, is known for her outspoken pro-Gaza stance. She has attended pro-Gaza rallies and demanded a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Tlaib was recently almost censured by the House of Representatives due to bipartisan criticism of her position. However, she has not yet faced any primary challengers.
On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a bill to send military aid to Israel, funded by cuts to the Internal Revenue Service. The Squad, along with most Democrats, voted against the resolution, while twelve Democrats supported the bill.
As these primary challenges unfold, it remains to be seen how the Democratic Party will balance support for Israel with the views of representatives advocating for Palestinian political interests.
