New York City’s Democratic congressional primaries have become a focal point for the party's intensifying debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with insurgent candidates aligning with critics of Israel securing key victories. The results suggest that the war in Gaza is increasingly shaping the Democratic Party's identity as it navigates a complex political landscape ahead of the November midterms and the 2028 presidential election.
In several races, candidates who took strong stances against Israel's actions in Gaza, often endorsed by progressive figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, outperformed establishment choices. Mamdani, who has sharply criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, celebrated victories that his supporters punctuated with chants of "Free Palestine."
“The Israel question has become defining,” said Matt Bennett, who leads the centrist Democratic group Third Way. He expressed concern that some within Mamdani's political circle have adopted what he termed “a new level of extremism,” warning that such views could be exploited by Republicans.
Mamdani, however, remains undeterred, viewing New York as a crucible for forging the Democratic Party’s future national identity. “When does the race for 2028 begin? It starts now,” he stated recently.
The schism over Israel has become particularly acute within a party already accustomed to internal debates between progressive and moderate factions. While the U.S. alliance with Israel historically enjoyed bipartisan backing, the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, particularly since the Oct. 7 attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza, have strained those ties.
President Joe Biden faced criticism from pro-Palestinian supporters, who labeled him “Genocide Joe.” His former running mate, Kamala Harris, also felt the pressure. Jamie Harrison, former chair of the Democratic National Committee, suggested the war's fallout may have contributed to Harris losing Michigan in a hypothetical 2024 presidential run, a state with a significant Arab American population. However, Harrison also noted that the issue may not be a primary concern for voters in many parts of the country, where economic issues like inflation and housing are more pressing.
He anticipates Democrats will seek a middle ground, advocating for continued support of Israel's sovereignty while potentially re-evaluating U.S. aid and the overall nature of the relationship.
The primary in New York's 10th congressional district exemplified the challenge of finding such common ground. Brad Lander, a former city comptroller endorsed by Mamdani, successfully challenged incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman. Both candidates are Jewish and have expressed criticism of the Israeli government, but Lander has explicitly characterized the war as genocide, a distinction that Goldman has not made.
Lander, in his victory speech, stated, “Our party needs to admit that Joe Biden’s ‘hug Bibi’ strategy was a catastrophic mistake. We cannot keep paying for Netanyahu’s wars with our tax dollars. Democratic voters are saying this, loud and clear.”
Voters in the district echoed these sentiments. Ari Rassouli, a voter, cited Goldman's stance on Israel as a reason for her opposition, stating that “a candidate that is in support of that has no place in our democracy at all.”
Lander acknowledged that the war in Gaza was a significant issue alongside economic concerns and immigration during his campaign. He described engaging in lengthy conversations with Jewish voters grappling with how to reconcile their values of equality and dignity with the current geopolitical situation, noting these discussions were often the longest at the polls.