House Democrats condemn Texas candidate for antisemitism and accuse a PAC of boosting her
House Democratic leaders on Tuesday condemned efforts by a newly registered political action committee to support a Democratic congressional candidate who has made anti-Semitic comments ahead of next week’s runoff elections.
Leaders of both parties condemned the recent remarks of sex therapist Maureen Galindo, who came first in the March Democratic primary for Texas’ 35th Congressional District. In an Instagram campaign post last week, Galindo said that if elected, he would “turn the Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers involved in human trafficking.”
He is also accused of repeating tropes about his rival being controlled by Zionist money and, According to the San Antonio CurrentHe suggested that he and anyone “supported by Israel” should be tried for treason.
State Representative James Talarico, the party’s candidate for the U.S. Senate. He told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency He said he would not campaign with Galindo.
“This anti-Semitic rhetoric has no place in our policy,” Talarico told JTA. “We need leadership from both parties that is willing to stand up and call out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.”
Although rejected by National Democrats, Galindo benefited from spending on May 6 by Lead Left, a PAC registered with the Federal Election Commission. FEC records show Lead Left spent $428,000 in 35th electionThis Region, mostly by printing and postage.
CNN has reached out to Galindo and Lead Left for comment.
The group also spent money supporting other Democrats who were viewed by the national Democratic Party as weaker general election candidates.
Punchbowl News previously reported that Lead Left PAC had links to WinRed, the primary fundraising platform used by Republican campaigns, in its website metadata.
Democratic leaders drew attention Reporting from The New York Times Claiming that Republicans are behind the Vanguard Left. The Times reported that “Republican fingerprints can be detected” around Lead Left and also cited ads the group ran in Nebraska that “closely mirror messages in ads previously paid for by a nonprofit group affiliated with the Republican House leadership.”
“House Republican leadership must immediately stop supporting this anti-Semitic candidacy, withdraw spending from the race, and strongly condemn these comments,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said in a statement. “The vile language he uses is disqualifying and has no place in American politics, especially the Democratic Party.”
Jeffries and DelBene said it was “unorthodox” for Republicans to put forward a “fringe candidate with anti-Semitic – and extremely dangerous – rhetoric and views.”
Democrats are supporting Johnny Garcia, a public information officer with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Christian Martinez said Jeffries’ candidates “don’t have any real support from Texans.”
“Now Democrats Johnny Garcia and Maureen Galindo are tearing each other apart in a full-fledged primary civil war, turning their own race into a circular firing squad, while Republicans focus on the issues Texans care about and build the coalition that will win in November,” Martinez said in the statement.
35This The district was redrawn by Texas Republicans last year as part of a mid-decade national redistricting push. In 2024, it turned from a heavily Democratic trend into a region that will favor Trump by 10 points. a CNN analysis government and private data.
CNN’s David Wright contributed to this report.
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