From Michigan to Missouri: Democratic primaries deliver mixed bag on Israel and Gaza

On Tuesday, Democratic primaries were held in five US states - Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, and Washington. The elections held a mix of results as it pertained to the foreign policy issues of the US-Israeli war in Iran and Israel's conflict in Gaza.

In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, beat Congresswoman Haley Stevens by a slim margin of 48.5 percent to 47.5 percent. El-Sayed's campaign was centered around healthcare, immigration, and foreign policy, with a pledge to end US military aid to Israel and work towards ending the Iranian war. Stevens, on the other hand, championed Israel's right to self-defense and supported continued US taxpayer aid.

She received strong support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) and the Democratic establishment.

Missouri saw the Democratic establishment triumph as Wesley Bell, a former St Louis County prosecutor and incumbent Congressman, defeated Cori Bush, a former Democratic Congresswoman. Bush, a prominent advocate for a Gaza ceasefire and war on Iran, received backing from Aipac, but was unable to secure re-election to Congress.

In Kansas, the Democrats nominated state Senator Cindy Holscher, while Republicans chose Vicki Schmidt, an insurance commissioner. Foreign policy was not a significant factor in the primary campaign, with candidates focusing on rural development, agriculture, and abortion.

Virginia's primary saw only one candidate, former governor and incumbent senator Mark Warner, who emphasized his tenure on the Senate Intelligence Committee and his support for Israel. Warner received support from Aipac and criticized the Trump administration's war on Iran.

In Washington, Democratic Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez beat progressive Brent Hennrich in a close contest. Gluesenkamp Perez, endorsed by Aipac, stressed the importance of national security and criticized the Trump administration's war on Iran.