{
  "id": 1846399,
  "title": "From party punchline to primary winner: Eli Cohen’s ground game pays off with Likud’s top spot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/from-party-punchline-to-primary-winner-eli-cohens-ground-game-pays",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T14:21:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ynetnews",
    "slug": "ynetnews",
    "url": "https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1ryfjzwgg"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Energy Minister Eli Cohen won the Likud primary with 46,224 votes, leading by over 3,000 votes over Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who came in second with 42,975 votes. Cohen had previously placed second in the previous Likud primary. His victory came after years of dedicated effort within the party. Cohen was known for attending virtually every Likud Central Committee event, from small local gatherings to major affairs organized by influential activists. This habit that once made colleagues laugh during the previous Knesset term, proved to be effective as it translated into significant support during the primary. Cohen started his political career with backing primarily in the Holon branch, from which he expanded his support base. He also built relationships with additional branches and organized groups throughout the party. The key to Cohen's success was a mix of organizational strength and independent support. However, candidates who relied too much on one side of this equation, like Eti Atia and Tally Gotliv, did not do as well. Atia, backed by Haim Katz and focusing on organized voters, won 21,000 votes but did not secure a place on the primary list. Gotliv, who relied on independent members and was supported by Netanyahu, finished 12th, expected to translate into 20th place on the final Knesset slate. Cohen's approach of combining both types of support allowed him to maximize his appeal. As Energy Minister and a member of the security Cabinet, Cohen has maintained a statesmanlike image, consistently communicating party messages without resorting to provocations or headline-grabbing confrontations. His flagship initiative during the term was electricity market reform, aimed at increasing competition and allowing consumers to lower their bills. The magnitude of Cohen's primary win may have implications beyond the party list. Cohen had previously not received the same level of ministerial seniority as some colleagues who placed lower, such as Israel Katz, who went on to serve in top ministries like Foreign Affairs and Defense. Now, Cohen's strong showing gives him a stronger claim to a senior position in the next Cabinet if Netanyahu is tasked with forming a government.",
  "summary": "Energy minister wins 46,224 votes, more than 3,000 ahead of Amir Ohana, after years cultivating organized activists and unaffiliated members; Likud officials say Netanyahu may no longer be able to overlook his standing",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}