Jewish Democrat Jeremy Moss defeats pro-Palestinian rival in Michigan primary

In a recent Michigan primary, Jewish Democrat Jeremy Moss emerged victorious over pro-Palestinian rival Abdul El-Sayed, securing the Democratic nomination for the state's 11th District. This win comes as Moss has a history of speaking out against antisemitism on the state house floor. The district, which is largely comprised of Jews and includes Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, is a historically Republican-leaning area that has been held by Democrats for several election cycles.

Current Rep. Haley Stevens faced off against El-Sayed in the primary, but Moss took a commanding lead with 49.2% of the vote, vastly surpassing his nearest competitor at 32.9%. Upon hearing the news, Moss expressed gratitude towards his supporters via X/Twitter, stating, "Thank you, Oakland County! It's the honor of a lifetime to be your Democratic nominee."

Some Jewish supporters, who have previously pledged funding for Republican candidate Mike Rogers if Stevens loses, also expressed their support for Moss. While Moss has not focused on Israel as a central theme in his campaign, he has previously supported liberal pro-Israel positions, such as a two-state solution. He has mentioned in the past that the majority of American Jewish voters believe that Israel has a right to defend itself from terrorism, and Palestinians have the right to self-determination in a peace-seeking state.

Despite these positions, Moss received comparatively less campaign funding from pro-Israel groups. His opponents resorted to linking him to the influential lobbying group AIPAC, which heavily spent in the Senate race, but Moss claimed that such accusations "touch many people's ears as if it's trafficking antisemitism."