House Democrats in the ultra-progressive “Squad” are being bolstered by a new joint fundraising venture as they face mounting threats to their jobs.
The “Protect The Squad” website that was launched by Justice Democrats, a progressive PAC, appears to have been launched within the last week and is linked to Democratic fundraising giant ActBlue. It is the latest effort to insulate a group of progressive lawmakers who have faced bipartisan backlash over their harsh rhetoric toward Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack.
“Every member of the Squad is up for re-election this year, and five of these young, working-class, Black and brown progressives are facing serious threats to their U.S. House seats: Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib,” the website stated.
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“With right-wing megadonor-funded groups like AIPAC and Moderate PAC threatening to drop upwards of $100 million on attack ads and hand-picked challengers to unseat these Squad members, we need to come together to combat their attacks with the power of our grassroots movement.”
Of the “Squad” members listed – which notably excludes Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., one of the group’s original members – Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is the only one not yet facing a primary challenger.
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The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a pro-Israel group that works with both Republicans and Democrats to bolster the Middle Eastern U.S. ally’s relationship with Washington. AIPAC is spending heavily this election cycle to promote pro-Israel candidates.
AIPAC has endorsed primary challengers to Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Jamaal Bowman D-N.Y.
Tlaib said on Instagram this week that “Protect The Squad” is aiming to raise $100 million by April 30.
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“Our Squad is strong, but our movement is under attack from GOP-funded corporate Super PACs,” Tlaib wrote. “Together-for Palestine, for workers, for abortion rights, for LGBTQ+ people, for democracy-we’re unstoppable. We’re coming together to raise $100K for them all, chip in now!”
The issue of Israel has brought long-simmering divisions within the Democratic Party up to the surface in the wake of Oct. 7, though a growing number of lawmakers on the left have been increasingly critical of Israel’s responding invasion of Gaza.
