Supporters of progressive Democrat blame pro-Israel group for Ohio primary loss
The race between Shontel Brown and Nina Turner was one of several in the past year to pit pro-Israel Democrats against pro-Palestinian ones in congressional races.
Some supporters of a progressive Democrat are blaming her defeat in a primary election on the influence of a pro-Israel group.
Shontel Brown defeated Nina Turner and the lesser-known Jeff Johnson in Ohio’s 11th congressional district Democratic primary election Tuesday. Brown won with 50.2% of the vote to Nina Turner’s 44.5%, according to results from The New York Times. The election took place outside of the traditional election season because the previous congresswoman serving the district, Marcia Fudge, left her post to join the Biden administration.
Like in some other recent Democratic Party primaries, the race pitted a pro-Israel candidate against one supportive of the Palestinian cause, and was covered by Israeli media. Brown was endorsed by the pro-Israel group Democratic Majority for Israel PAC.
“Shontel Brown’s victory, as a champion of the U.S.-Israel relationship, reaffirms that being pro-Israel is good politics as well as wise policy,” Democratic Majority for Israel PAC said in a statement following Brown’s win.
