Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is facing criticism for appearing at a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in support of congressional candidates challenging two incumbent House Democrats, Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, both of whom are Jewish.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., the sole Jewish Republican in Florida's congressional delegation, stated that Tlaib's presence at the rally, held by left-wing groups, was "no coincidence" in targeting Jewish Democrats. He expressed concern that this could be indicative of a problematic trend within the Democratic Party.
"I think the Democratic Party is lost, and I think it’s dangerous. I don’t know that it’s lost and dangerous in Fort Lauderdale or Florida, but nationally, the kinds of people that the Democrats are nominating, these are people who do not love America," Fine told Fox News Digital. "They hate it. They are here to destroy it, and no one embodies that better than Rashida Tlaib."
Fine linked the candidates Tlaib is supporting to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a group whose candidates have been accused by opponents of criticism against Israel that approaches antisemitism and of being sympathetic to groups like Hamas. Tlaib has faced bipartisan criticism for her past comments regarding Israel and Jewish people, which she has denied.
Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman elected to Congress, has been an active supporter of DSA-linked candidates this election cycle. Such candidates have recently seen success in key elections across the country, including in New York, Colorado, and Michigan.
The rally Tlaib attended is called "Chomp the Oligarchy" and was organized by progressive groups including Gen Z For Change and the Florida Youth Justice Coalition.
Moskowitz, who represents Florida's 23rd Congressional District, is running for re-election in the newly redrawn 25th Congressional District. Wasserman Schultz is campaigning in the redrawn 20th Congressional District, a majority-Black district with a strong Democratic leaning, which has drawn criticism regarding its potential impact on historically Black representation in the area.
Neither the campaigns for Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz nor Tlaib's campaign responded to requests for comment regarding Fine's remarks or Tlaib's appearance.