Dem
51
GOP
49
The biggest Democratic critics of Israel are the members of the Squad. Next year, at least four of them will get the chance to personally defend their views. Primary challenges are already set up for those four: Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Summer Lee (D-PA), and Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN). The challengers are going to latch onto slogans like "We can't give aid and comfort to terrorists." Bush, for example, represents a St. Louis-area district that has the largest Jewish community in Missouri. She is Black, but is being challenged by St. Louis County D.A. Wesley Bell, who is also Black, so she can't play the "Black card."
Bowman's district, centered in Westchester County, also has a large Jewish population. George Latimer, a long-time Westchester County executive, is prepping a challenge. Lee is being challenged by Borough Councilor Bhavini Patel. Patel said: "Something that keeps coming up in my conversations is that Congresswoman Lee continues to equivocate. We're responding to something that is evil." Omar will face former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels. She narrowly beat him in 2022. Now she has to do it again, this time while defending her remarks on Israel.
Normally foreign policy does not drive primary elections, but Israel is the #1 news story now and may continue to be for a while. Poll after poll shows huge support for Israel. The Squad members will test whether their views will prevail among Democratic voters when the challenger is a liberal Democrat who supports Israel. (V)