Hakeem Jeffries Bucks AIPAC, Endorses Squad Member Summer Lee

Bucking pro-Israel lobby groups, the top three members of House Democratic leadership endorsed Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., on Wednesday. Like other progressive members of the Squad, pro-Israel groups are seeking to oust Lee in 2024.

Members of the House Democratic leadership have mostly remained close to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee even as it sought to unseat Democratic incumbents. On Wednesday, though, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., bucked AIPAC, a major donor, and endorsed Lee. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., joined Jeffries in the endorsement.

“A civil rights champion, advocate for organized labor and the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, Summer Lee has worked tirelessly to deliver for working families,” the three leaders said in a statement Wednesday morning. They added that Lee had fought for good union jobs and reproductive rights since her first day in Congress and would help oppose “the extreme MAGA Republican agenda” in Pennsylvania.

The endorsements are among the first by House Democratic leadership for a progressive incumbent facing attacks from AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobbying groups in 2024. Jeffries endorsed Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., in August amid news that AIPAC was recruiting candidates to challenge her.

The endorsements are among the first by House Democratic leadership for a progressive incumbent facing attacks from AIPAC.

AIPAC has also tried to recruit candidates to challenge Lee and other progressive lawmakers who’ve led calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. military funding for Israel since its recent war killed more than 20,000 Palestinians. In Lee’s race, two people declined AIPAC’s efforts to recruit them to challenge the incumbent in the 2024 Democratic primary, The Intercept reported last year.

AIPAC spent $5 million against Lee’s 2022 campaign, including on mailers picturing her with former President Donald Trump, claiming she wasn’t really a Democrat.

The same year, AIPAC faced heavy criticisms from Democrats for endorsing more than 100 Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

AIPAC and its close ally, Democratic Majority for Israel, have ramped up attacks against progressive lawmakers since the siege on Gaza began. Members of the Squad and a handful of other Democrats have led measures calling for a ceasefire and voted against a measure that pledged support for Israel and did not mention Palestinians killed.

Attacks on Progressive Democrats

The show of support for Lee from House Democratic leadership comes as conservative Democrats have attacked Squad members and major party donors have signaled their intentions to target incumbents who are critical of Israel.

Mainstream Democrats PAC, funded by billionaire Democratic donor Reid Hoffman, is reportedly considering teaming up with AIPAC and DMFI to target Squad members including Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., who led a ceasefire resolution in October. The resolution immediately drew attacks from conservative Democrats, along with AIPAC and DMFI, including a new ad in November that attacked Tlaib.

In addition to Lee, AIPAC has sought to recruit challengers to Bush, Tlaib, Omar, and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y.

AIPAC has emerged as one of the largest players in electoral politics. The group spent millions against progressives in 2022 and reportedly plans to spend $100 million in 2024.

Jeffries had said he would back all Democratic incumbents, but the endorsement of Lee stood in contrast to his previous tone on attacks against Squad members.

The minority leader had previously issued muted responses to news about plans by AIPAC, DMFI, and Mainstream Democrats’ efforts to oust Squad members. Asked to respond to the attacks during a press conference in November, Jeffries said, “Outside groups are gonna do what outside groups are gonna do. I think House Democrats are going to continue to support each other.”

In a statement touting the new endorsements, Lee noted her work to invest in infrastructure, union jobs, and STEM, as well as her use of progressive policies to rebuild support for Democrats in the western part of the state.

“Our progressive movement is creating a blueprint, not just for Western Pennsylvania, but for our entire country for what it looks like to beat Trumpism by leading with compassion and equity and justice,” Lee said in the statement, released Wednesday morning. Lee’s primary opponents include Bhavini Patel, a borough council member in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, and Laurie MacDonald, who leads a victims services organization in Pennsylvania and describes herself as a moderate.

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