A recent update from the NRCC reveals a disturbing trend in the House Democratic leadership that seems impervious to the polls or the tide of public opinion. There are still plenty of Democrats, including most of the Squad, who are condemning Israel over the war in Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire, and taking the side of Hamas. It’s also clear that they are doing so with the full support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. One of the latest outspoken, pro-Hamas legislators to step into the spotlight is Pennsylvania Representative Summer Lee. She’s drawn a lot of attention for her antisemitic rhetoric, but when Jeffries was asked about it during a recent appearance on MSNBC, he indicated that he would be diverting campaign resources to defend the entire crew against primary challenges, including Congresswoman Lee.
Hakeem Jeffries once again promised to spend campaign resources to defend Pro-Hamas Antisemitic House Democrats from primary challengers:
Question: “There are a number of vulnerable incumbents in your caucus: Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, Summer Lee, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib. Are you going to dedicate resources to defending those Democratic incumbents?”
Jeffries: “Those are individuals I’ve clearly indicated I’m going to support.”
That seems rather unambiguous. NRCC National Press Secretary Will Reinert responded, saying, “It speaks volumes about Hakeem Jeffries’ character that he will take resources away from swing-district members to defend Antisemites in his caucus from pro-Israel Democrat challengers.”
So what sort of trouble has Summer Lee gotten herself into? A large group of Jewish community leaders from her own district recently condemned Lee’s remarks about Israel and Hamas, calling on her to “exercise better leadership.”
More than three dozen Jewish religious leaders issued a public letter Tuesday expressing “frustration and anger” stemming from U.S. Rep. Summer Lee’s position on Israel’s response to Oct. 7 terror attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas.
“We call on Rep. Lee to exercise better leadership and join her colleagues in upholding the moral obligation for Israel to protect its citizens against Hamas,” said the letter.
It faults her specifically for two actions she’s taken in the U.S. House of Representatives in recent days: On Oct. 25, she cast one of just 10 votes against a bill that asserted the House “stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.”
Not being a Democrat, it’s really not my business how Hakeem Jeffries spreads around the Democrats’ campaign funds, provided it’s being done legally. But you do have to wonder whether he should be prioritizing the campaigns of vulnerable members of his own party in swing districts instead of sticking the party’s nose into primary battles for relatively safe seats. Summer Lee, for example, ousted a more moderate Democrat in the 2022 Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 12th district with the help of the Democratic Socialist Party. She ran unopposed in the general election, so it doesn’t sound like she’ll be facing a threat from a Republican in November. But while ousting a member of her own party in the primary was apparently not a problem, the House Minority Leader wants to spend party funds to ensure that the same thing doesn’t happen to her.
Jeffries already endorsed Ilhan Omar after she drew a primary threat from a pro-Israel Democrat. (Yes, there are apparently a few of them left out there besides Chuck Schumer.) He clearly appears ready to send funds her way as well. And based on that MSNBC interview, the same goes for Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, and Rashida Tlaib. Each one of them has gone public with their demands that we stab our ally Israel in the back and prevent the elimination of Hamas. And each will apparently receive an injection of campaign cash to fend off their challengers.
How many members of the House Democratic caucus are really okay with this? Most of the House Democrats are obviously quicker to urge “restraint” in Gaza than almost any of the Republicans. But not all that many have been ready to go the full Nazi route like the Squad has. When the GOP doesn’t like its upper leadership, they give them the boot. But Hakeem Jeffries apparently has some sort of Teflon defense against interparty criticism.
