The Democratic Party's internal conflict over Israel has become a defining issue in the 2028 election cycle, with the national party struggling to maintain unity as progressive and pro-Israel factions clash. The dispute, which has simmered for years, now threatens to reshape primary contests and general election strategies in battleground states.
Gaza War Intensifies Divisions
The war in Gaza has sharpened the divide. Ian Lustick, co-author of “Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power,” said, “The genocide in Gaza has had an overwhelming effect on large, significant segments of the American public. Israel's policies in the past 20 years have become essentially indefensible.” For many Democrats, the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds hostage, does not justify the subsequent civilian toll in Gaza, including journalists and medical personnel killed by airstrikes.
Conversely, single-issue pro-Likud Jewish voters are increasingly willing to support Republicans. In Michigan and Georgia, pro-Israel activists are backing GOP Senate candidates, seeing a Democratic Party that might restrict aid to Israel as unacceptable.
Michigan and Georgia Flashpoints
In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed's Democratic primary victory prompted Detroit businessman Eric Bronstein to write an open letter urging Jewish Democrats to support Republican Mike Rogers. Several Jewish Democratic fundraisers attended a Rogers fundraiser. However, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, disagreed, saying, “We have a moral imperative to place the needs of the world above even our own self-interest and, yes, even our own survival.”
In Georgia, Atlanta Jewish Times publisher Michael Morris wrote to Sen. Jon Ossoff, accusing him of lying about his support for Israel. Morris said, “Your antagonism toward Israel has remained steadfast.” Both El-Sayed and Ossoff recently rejected antisemitic postings by Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, but legacy Jewish organizations deemed their response insufficient and late.
AIPAC Money Becomes Toxic
Across the country, accepting AIPAC money has become a liability in Democratic primaries. In Florida, state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, has accused Israel of genocide and refuses AIPAC funds; her stance helped her win an upset. In Oklahoma, candidate N'kiyla Jasmine Thomas ran an ad with a red bin labeled “AIPAC Funds” and trounced her opponent.
Even in Michigan, Rogers's campaign has asked AIPAC to keep a low profile, routing superPAC money through separate groups. Yet Rogers attended four AIPAC fundraisers in Los Angeles in late August, according to Jewish Insider.
Midterm Unity Despite Divisions
Despite these tensions, Democrats remain united on the fall midterm agenda: economics, affordability, Medicare for All, a higher minimum wage, and free preschool. The party's centrist and progressive wings agree on these issues, even as Israel policy remains a flashpoint.
As the party looks toward 2028, the Israel question could prove decisive. If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves office, the debate might shift. But for now, the ideological civil war over Israel is likely to intensify, with potential implications for Senate control and the presidential race.
