SouthernWorldwide.com – Mallory McMorrow, a Democratic candidate vying for a Senate seat in Michigan, did not hesitate when asked about the presence of antisemitism within her party.
“There is,” McMorrow stated directly at a Senate debate on Thursday.
She recounted a disturbing incident at the Democratic convention where an attendee directed an antisemitic slur at her husband, who is Jewish, while he was with their five-year-old daughter. McMorrow described this experience as “terrifying.”
In the midst of a closely contested, three-way Senate primary race, McMorrow’s candid response highlights her clear position on a growing concern: whether the Democratic Party has evolved from merely criticizing the Israeli government to providing a platform for animosity towards Jewish people themselves.
Prominent progressive figures within the Democratic Party have increasingly voiced skepticism, and sometimes strong opposition, regarding the U.S. relationship with Israel.
Notably, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who identifies as a socialist, has raised questions about the U.S. alliance with Israel, particularly in light of the conflict in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns.
These criticisms are not confined to New York.
Several Democratic members of Congress, including Representatives Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ro Khanna, along with Senators Bernie Sanders and Chris Murphy, represent a growing segment of the party that advocates for a reassessment of U.S. support for Israel amidst Middle Eastern conflicts.
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Furthermore, Abdul El-Sayed, one of McMorrow’s rivals in the Senate primary, has labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and described the Israeli government as “evil.”
McMorrow has positioned herself as a centrist candidate, seeking to differentiate herself from both El-Sayed and the more establishment-aligned Representative Haley Stevens.
However, she clarified that her criticisms of the party do not signify complete agreement with the current U.S. stance on Israel.
“We need to be able to state very clearly that what the Netanyahu government is doing — that the violence needs to end,” McMorrow asserted.
When questioned about her support for U.S. aid to Israel, McMorrow indicated she would have voted in favor of a recent resolution proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, which aimed to halt the sale of U.S. arms.
McMorrow emphasized the importance for Democrats to ensure their rhetoric is specifically directed at the state of Israel and not at Jewish people in the United States.
“We need to bring about long-term peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis. And turning that into not an anti-Netanyahu, but an anti-American Jewish message is dangerous,” McMorrow stated.
Her remarks were met with applause from the audience.
