Democrats in Congress could face a series of primary challenges from the far left over their support for Israel, possibly upending the 2026 midterm elections.
A messy primary season could drain Democrats of valuable resources they need in their quest to take back the House.
"The main, centrist Democratic Party as a whole is doing a terrible job managing this whole process," Mark Botnick, a former adviser to ex-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, told Politico.
"That's not to say the Israeli government has made it easy for them. It's fine for someone to be against their policies, but it's very different to be against the existence of the Jewish state, which in my eyes is antisemitism," Botnick added.
"The party has done an abysmal job of getting up and saying that," Botnick continued.
Pro-Israel Democrat incumbents are facing primaries in New Jersey and New York while support for Israel has been a central part of the Senate primary campaign in Michigan.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has vowed to spend money to support candidates who support the Jewish state.
"Our 6 million grassroots members understand the stakes in the upcoming midterms, and that is why they are deeply motivated and engaged to help elect pro-Israel candidates and defeat detractors," AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann told Politico.
Many Jews have watched with alarm as the party has moved further away from its historic support for Israel.
"The whole democratic socialist movement has become very anti-Israel, which I don't understand at all," David Weprin, a Queens state lawmaker, told Politico.
"I grew up with Israel being a very progressive country, a democratic country, one that tolerates everyone," Weprin added. "It's definitely something that I find disturbing."
Michigan has seen a contentious Senate primary in a state with a large Arab American population.
Many Arab Americans voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, leading him to victory in the state.
Rep. Haley Stevens has described herself as a "proud pro-Israel Democrat" while her opponent Abdul El-Sayed has been a harsh critic of Israel and was the first candidate in the race to call the conflict in Gaza a genocide.
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, the other candidate, has said she would have supported a resolution blocking weapons sales to Israel, which Stevens said she opposes.
"The politics around Israel-Palestine have changed dramatically over the last few years," a Democrat strategist said to Politico. "For 2026 and beyond, it's less about candidates reacting and more about what they believe on the issue as a matter of core values.
"Just claiming to support a two-state solution isn't going to cut it anymore."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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