If “Paris is worth a mass,” as the old saying goes, is New York worth an intifada?
So far this year, elections have taken place against the backdrop of a sharp rise in antisemitism and hate crimes against Jewish people, coinciding with nearly two years of fighting since Hamas’s sickening sneak attack on Israeli civilians in October 2023.
Within the Democratic Party, this environment has emboldened a more vocal and influential far-left faction whose rhetoric and policies alienate moderates and independents. While catering to this faction may help Democrats survive a primary in a hopelessly blue city, it creates long-term liabilities in general elections nationwide — and a strategic opening for Republicans. In off-year races like Virginia and next year’s midterms, Republicans will be well-positioned to paint Democrats as a party captive to its most extreme voices, out of step with mainstream America.
One example is New York City mayoral candidate, and “progressive” darling, Zohran “Madman” Mamdani, who declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” Supporters of the phrase call it a rallying cry for Palestinian liberation, but many Jewish organizations see it as an incitement to violence. The Anti-Defamation League, other Jewish leaders, and the U.S. Holocaust Museum have condemned the slogan as “outrageous and especially offensive.” The term “intifada” — Arabic for uprising — is associated with Islamic-inspired waves of violence, notably suicide bombings and attacks on civilians in Israel.
Despite the controversy, Mamdani easily won the Democratic nomination with backing from the Working Families Party and other “progressive” groups funded in part by billionaire tyrant George Soros. Republicans are likely to use Mamdani’s candidacy — and the Democratic embrace of figures like him — as a vivid example of the party’s radical leftward lurch when control of Congress is on the line next year.
Polling over the last two years shows that most Americans view Hamas as a “terrorist organization,” with only a small minority calling it a “freedom-fighting organization.” This suggests that a growing, outspoken anti-Israel segment within the Democratic Party is exerting influence disproportionate to its size.
Virginia has also seen a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents — up 223% in 2023, the 11th highest total in the nation, according to reported data. The federal government has notified George Mason University and the University of Virginia that they are among schools under investigation for alleged Title VI violations related to antisemitic harassment and discrimination.
Over the past seven years, billionaire couple Michael Bills and Sonjia Smith have become the largest campaign donors in the Commonwealth, both individually and through their advocacy group Clean Virginia. They have spent millions opposing Dominion Energy’s political influence. Critics say they have replaced Dominion’s influence with their own, heavily supporting Democrat candidates who refuse Dominion contributions.
Bills and Smith have supported candidates across the party’s ideological spectrum, but some of their beneficiaries have drawn controversy over statements about Israel. For example, Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-38), who is of Palestinian descent, has been a vocal critic of Israel and has posted on social media statements describing Israeli policies in terms that many Jewish organizations dispute. He has also shared posts about the Al-Ahli Arab hospital explosion that were later contradicted by independent investigations, prompting criticism from constituents. Bills and Smith have given him at least $90,000 in total campaign support.
In 2019, the couple opposed Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn’s bid to become the first female Jewish speaker of the House of Delegates because she accepted Dominion donations. Three years later, some party members accused Clean Virginia of helping to orchestrate her ouster and boosting progressive candidates.
At the federal level, Smith has contributed to far-left members of Congress, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and former Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), both of whom voted against funding Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. Since 2022, Smith has also donated nearly $1 million to the Working Families Party, which has supported candidates such as Mamdani in New York and Adelita Grijalva in Arizona, who has faced criticism for her positions on Israel.
Virginia Democrats have made significant electoral gains in recent years through moderate leaders like former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Rep. Abigail Spanberger. But the party’s shift toward the far left presents a rich opportunity for Republicans this year in Virginia and next year in the national fight for control of Congress.
It seems increasingly likely that New York City will recognize the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Mamdani in office, but with unhinged radicals like him to point to, Republicans nationwide can cleverly weather the mid-term storms. Letting an intifada claim NYC could save the rest of the country.