- Members of the progressive “Squad” are facing tough primary races over the next several months.
- Some have personal scandals, and pro-Israel groups are promising to spend big against them.
- Here’s how the next few months are about to unfold.
In the next several months, “The Squad” will face its biggest electoral test yet.
The eight progressive Democrats who make up the informal group are known for being the furthest-left lawmakers in the House, their affiliations with the group “Justice Democrats,” and for being young lawmakers of color. All but one, Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, represent deep-blue seats.
In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks and the resulting war in Gaza, all of them have come under especially strong fire from the right flank of the Democratic Party. They each support a cease-fire in Gaza as the Israeli counteroffensive has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and created a humanitarian crisis. Many have also taken votes against symbolic pro-Israel resolutions in recent months.
After spending big in Democratic primaries in 2022, pro-Israel groups are again working to defeat several Squad members by electing more moderate, pro-Israel Democrats in their place.
United Democracy Project — a super PAC associated with the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC — is sitting on nearly $42 million in cash as of the end of January, much of which comes from Republican megadonors. Other pro-Israel groups, including Democratic Majority for Israel, are also expected to spend significant sums of money.
Several Squad members now face not just well-funded primary challengers, but significant personal scandals that could cost them with former supporters.
In the worst-case scenario for the group, their ranks could be cut in half.
However not all Squad members are endangered, and several of them are expected to cruise to reelection as the group faces primaries across 7 states between now and September.
Here’s what to know about their races.
