Pro-Palestine Democrat wins US state primary, angering Trump, Israel lobby
A pro-Palestine Democrat has won a Senate primary in the US state of Michigan, overcoming massive spending by AIPAC for his opponent and angering US President Donald Trump, who views him like other anti-Israeli figures as a “communist”.
Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan on Wednesday.
This comes as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby, had reportedly spent more than $30 million to support Stevens, a US House Representative and staunch supporter of the Israeli regime who once said that Israeli-occupied territories appeared in her dreams.
El-Sayed, a former public health official, however, has advocated for Palestinian rights while calling for an arms embargo on Israel during his primary race campaign.
His victory has been viewed as a political earthquake and a major defeat for the Israel lobby in the United States.
He will face Republican Party nominee Mike Rogers in the general election in November.
The primary result triggered a quick reaction from Trump, who has seen a freefall in his ratings in the past months, mainly because of the war of aggression on Iran and its economic impacts, leading many to project sweeping victories for Democrats in the upcoming elections.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform to attack El-Sayed, mainly for his pro-Palestine and anti-Israeli views.
“Great news for the Republican Party. El-Sayed, a Communist loser who hates Jews and Israel, is the projected winner in this race with the Socialist,” he said after initial results of the primary came out earlier on Wednesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claims New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani "supports Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah."
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El-Sayed has distanced himself from anti-Semitic views that target the US Jewish population, saying he will only oppose the Israeli regime and its genocide against the Palestinians.
Trump has a history of opposing and ridiculing pro-Palestine voices in US politics, mainly because of his close connections with AIPAC and the Israeli regime.
He had previously labeled New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an outspoken critic of the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a communist.
“I'll have to deal with a communist in New York City. I never thought that was going to happen,” Trump said in September 2025 when Mamdani was running to become mayor.
Mamdani is a democratic socialist and a member of the New York State Assembly representing parts of Queens, widely recognized for his staunch advocacy for Palestinian rights and progressive economic policies.
As a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), he has consistently championed causes such as universal rent control, public transit expansion, and an immediate end to US military aid to Israel.
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