Pro-Israel incumbent Greg Stanton wins Arizona Democratic primary for House seat
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Pro-Israel Representative Greg Stanton easily won the Arizona Democratic primary, defeating challenger Kai Newkirk.
- Newkirk had focused his campaign on Stanton's support from AIPAC and accused Israel of election interference.
- Stanton will now face Republican Zuhdi Jasser in the November general election.
Pro-Israel Representative Greg Stanton secured an easy victory in the Arizona Democratic primary, fending off a challenge from activist Kai Newkirk. Newkirk had made Stanton's ties to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC a central theme of his campaign, accusing the organization and the Israeli government of attempting to interfere in U.S. elections.
Stanton, a former Phoenix mayor first elected to Congress in 2018, emphasized his proven leadership and ability to deliver results in a statement following the primary. He will now face Republican challenger Zuhdi Jasser in the November general election. The race highlighted a growing divide within the Democratic party regarding support for Israel, as several left-wing candidates critical of Israeli policies have recently won nominations elsewhere.
This campaign presented voters with a real choice about how Democrats should lead. Tonight, the voters chose proven leadership that fights back, delivers real results, and brings our party together.
Newkirk, who has a history of civil disobedience, advocated for ending all military aid to Israel and imposing an arms embargo. He criticized Stanton for voting against an amendment to cut military aid, suggesting Stanton's stance was influenced by AIPAC's support. Polls leading up to the primary showed Stanton with a significant lead over Newkirk.
Iโve been arrested over 25 times in civil disobedience, and Iโll go to jail for justice again before I ever take a dime from AIPAC.
Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.