Israel divide grows in Democratic Party after New York primaries
Key takeaways
- There s no doubt that this issue is roiling the party right now, he added.
- In several primary races, Israel became a litmus test for Democrats, as insurgent campaigns sought to capitalize on progressive voters frustration with the war in Gaza.
- In New York s 10th Congressional District, former New York City comptroller Brad Lander made Israel a defining issue of his campaign, repeatedly calling on incumbent Rep.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
The New York City primaries were unusually focused on Israel, with Mamdani-backed candidates making the issue a central line of attack as they blasted their opponents for being insufficiently critical of the war in Gaza or for taking money from AIPAC-aligned groups.
The Democratic Party now finds itself more divided than ever over its approach to Israel, raising questions about whether there s room in the party for such divergent positions and whether the results in some of the deepest blue districts in the country could hurt Democratic candidates in purple states heading into the midterm elections.
When it comes to Israel, it s absolutely evident that a small but very vocal sector of the Democratic electorate not only is very angry at Israel, but has made it their only issue, Matt Bennett, co-founder of center-left think tank Third Way, told The Hill.