Pro-Israel Providence Mayor Brett Smiley loses to progressive challenger

Providence, Rhode Island's pro-Israel mayor, Brett Smiley, lost his reelection bid on Wednesday to a progressive challenger with pro-Palestinian views. Incumbent Smiley, who had converted to Judaism in 2024 while serving, was defeated in the Democratic primary by state Senator David Morales. The progressive candidate garnered 52.5% of the vote, with key endorsements from prominent figures like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and California Representative Ro Khanna.

Throughout the campaign, pro-Smiley materials were vandalized with anti-Semitic imagery, which Morales denounced. The Democratic primary also serves as a preview for an upcoming general election vote on divestment. In November, Providence will become the largest U.S. city to vote on whether to stop investing in companies connected to Israel. Morales backs the binding divestment measure, whereas Smiley and local Jewish and pro-Israel groups oppose it, arguing the ordinance would be unenforceable and violate state law.

During the campaign, Morales accused Smiley of attending a mayoral summit organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), where the mayor holds a leadership position. Morales claimed the group suppresses pro-Palestinian speech and is opaque about its funding sources. The Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative, which seeks to bolster business ties between the state and Israel, opposes both the ballot initiative and Morales.

The group's founder, Avi Nevel, publicly stated that Morales was driven by pro-Palestinian sentiment and hostility toward Israel.

This election marked a broader trend of incumbents being ousted in Rhode Island, as the state's governor also lost his primary to an intra-party challenger. However, that race did not revolve around Israel: Governor Daniel McKee's popularity has plummeted since a scandal involving the closure of a major bridge surfaced.