The Israel Lobby Is Picking Sides in a California Primary
A pro-Israel group is set to spend half a million dollars in a California congressional primary to boost the campaign of Jasmeet Bains, who recently walked back comments calling the Gaza war a genocide. Democratic Party leadership is also backing Bains.
Both Democratic Party leaders and the Israel lobby are now bankrolling the congressional campaign of California Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains over her Bernie Sanders–endorsed opponent, Randy Villegas. (Office of Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains)
A pro-Israel group is preparing a nearly half-million-dollar ad blitz in a contentious California congressional primary race to boost a candidate who recently walked back from calling the Gaza war a genocide. The ad spend comes just days after Democratic Party leadership intervened to bankroll the same candidate over a progressive insurgent.
The ads will run in California’s Twenty-Second Congressional District, where State Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) is being challenged by progressive activist and local school board member Randy Villegas.
The ad spend is an example of pro-Israel affiliates moving in lockstep with Democratic Party leaders’ spending vehicles to put their thumb on the scale in competitive primary races before voters get a chance to weigh in.
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