The Democratic Party is at war with itself and within itself. Pro- and anti-Israel factions are going at it hammer and tongs, with almost half the party that was instrumental in bringing the state of Israel into existence now looking to cut off aid to Israel in support of those who wish it dead.
It’s more than that, however. It’s gender and racial politics; it’s questions of electability and fair play; it’s law and order vs. “reform”; and it’s the biggest question of all: is socialism a party savior or a party killer?
What makes the choices so stark is the relative moderate left-winger, Rep. Haley Stevens, facing off against the raging socialist/antisemite Abdul El-Sayed. The Democratic Party establishment, including the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), backs Stevens, pouring $30 million into her campaign in an effort to defeat El-Sayed. El-Sayed, a former public health official, has characterized Israel’s military actions in Gaza as a genocide, called for the withdrawal of U.S. military assistance to Israel, and compared the Israeli government to Hamas. Critics from groups such as the American Jewish Committee (AJC) have argued that his reluctance to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state crosses into challenging Jewish self-determination. He has also campaigned alongside notorious Jew-hater Hasan Piker, who has made several incendiary comments on Jews and Israel, including calling ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jews “inbred,” and referring to a Jewish critic as a “bloodthirsty pig dog.” He also said that “America deserved 9/11.”
It’s the new Democrats, just like the old Democrats, if you ignore the Jew-hate and anti-Americanism.
“This is the quintessential contest between the establishment wing of the Democratic Party and the economically populist wing,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of the left group Our Revolution.
That’s a radically simplistic explanation of the split. This is understandable when you consider that the entire El-Sayed campaign is about hiding just how radical and extreme the candidate is.
In endorsing Stevens this month, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) warned they needed someone who was “fully vetted.” El-Sayed’s supporters viewed these and other remarks from Stevens supporters as baselessly linking their candidate to Graham Platner, who dropped out of his race in Maine over sexual assault allegations that he denies. However, unlike Platner, who was plucked from obscurity, El-Sayed has been a political figure for nearly a decade and faced significant media scrutiny already.
Another version of the critique is more about whether El-Sayed’s policy positions — for instance, his past support for defunding the police, and his backing of Medicare-for-all — are too far left for this swing state in the general election.
Meanwhile, the left’s argument for why establishment candidates flop is that they fail to excite the base and stimulate turnout. Therefore, they claim, El-Sayed is the safer choice.
“Excite the base” is an unproven strategy. Unless the district or state, such as Vermont, is already far left, a radical has little chance. AOC or Rashida Tlaib couldn’t win in my swing district in Illinois, nor in any other Midwestern district outside of a big city. They could “excite the base” until the cows come home and still get clobbered.
Meanwhile, the real split between the two is on race. Blacks favor Stevens by a wide margin, 67-21. The Congressional Black Caucus endorsed Stevens last week, and if she wins the primary, she’ll have the black community to thank for it.
Still on the sidelines in the race is Barack Obama. An AIPAC-linked group has spent millions of dollars running an ad with Obama endorsing Stevens, except that the video of Obama endorsing Stevens is from her first congressional campaign in 2016.
El-Sayed’s supporters have argued that this is an attempt to mislead Michigan voters into thinking Stevens has Obama’s backing. “It is disgusting that AIPAC — which spent tens of millions attacking Obama — is now spending like crazy to lie and suggest he endorsed Haley Stevens,” Ben Rhodes, a former Obama White House official who supports El-Sayed, posted on X.
Others suspect that Obama does in fact tacitly support Stevens, and that’s why he’s letting the ad stand without clarifying things. (El-Sayed thought Obama was too “centrist” and “middle of the road,” he told Vox in 2017.) And yet again, people are fighting over 2016: Some Stevens supporters point out that Sanders used footage of Obama praising him in a 2020 primary ad despite the senator’s own criticism of the former president.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Aug. 4 Democratic primary will face off against former seven-term congressman Mike Rogers, the presumptive GOP nominee. Even in what is expected by some to be a tough year for Republicans, Rogers has a good shot of winning and flipping the seat.
Editor’s Note: Help us continue to report the truth about corrupt politicians.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
