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As voters in Texas' 35th Congressional District head to a runoff on Tuesday, Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo is facing intense backlash from within her own party over a history of extreme antisemitic and anti-Zionist statements. Galindo, who finished first in a crowded Democratic primary in March, has promised to turn a local immigration detention center "into a prison for American Zionists" and has suggested implementing castration in revamped ICE facilities, according to multiple reports from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.The rhetoric has drawn national attention and condemned from Democrats, including some who have themselves been critical of Israel. The race has become a flashpoint in the party's ongoing struggle over how to address tensions between progressive critics of Israel and concerns about rising antisemitism.
Coverage comparison
Reporting on the runoff has been led by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), which has published several articles detailing Galindo's statements and the reactions they have provoked. JTA's coverage has consistently emphasized the extreme nature of Galindo's positions and the distancing by mainstream Democrats, while also noting that her primary victory may have been more attributable to low voter awareness and district dynamics than to her controversial views.A separate JTA opinion piece, written by a commentator, excoriated Galindo in particularly strong language, calling her ideas "depraved" and "evil" and drawing parallels to Nazi-era atrocities. While this piece represents the author's personal views rather than news reporting, it underscores the shock that Galindo's candidacy has generated.
Other coverage has focused on the political mechanics of the race, including the role of a newly formed super PAC that has spent heavily to promote Galindo's candidacy, a funding source that some Democrats have alleged is linked to Republicans.
Key Claims
- Galindo has pledged to round up and imprison Jews if they identify as Zionists, specifically proposing to use a local ICE detention center for this purpose, as reported by multiple JTA articles.
- She has also proposed instituting castration in revamped ICE facilities, targeting Jewish men whom she believes qualify as pedophiles, a claim that appears in multiple reports.
- Galindo is a 38-year-old mental health counselor and single mother with a Master's degree in community psychology from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, according to one JTA profile.
- Texas Senate candidate James Talarico has announced he will not back or campaign with Galindo if she wins the runoff, calling her rhetoric "antisemitic" and saying it "has no place in our politics," his campaign confirmed to JTA.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat who has been critical of Israel, has endorsed Johnny Garcia, Galindo's runoff opponent, and described her rhetoric as "absolutely disgusting" and "bigoted garbage," according to JTA reports.
- The Lead Left PAC, a newly formed political action committee, has spent over $900,000 on ads and mailers promoting Galindo, with Democrats accusing the group of being Republican-backed, as reported by JTA.
- The Jewish Federation of San Antonio has called on candidates and elected officials to "refrain from bigoted and offensive attacks," though the specific timing and context of this statement have not been detailed.
- Galindo has referred to "Zionist billionaires" controlling the world and used the phrase "synagogue of Satan," a term with Biblical origins popularized by Louis Farrakhan, according to multiple reports.
Perspectives
Galindo and her supporters: Galindo has not directly responded to the criticisms in the coverage reviewed. Her campaign has spent minimal funds, and she has positioned herself as an anti-establishment candidate focused on housing issues. Supporters, including the Lead Left PAC, have promoted her as a progressive alternative, though the PAC's origins have been questioned by Democrats.Democratic leadership and candidates: Figures like Talarico and Ocasio-Cortez have drawn clear lines between Galindo and the party's mainstream, denouncing her rhetoric as unacceptable and endorsing her opponent. Talarico, who has been critical of Israel and sworn off support from AIPAC, emphasizes that antisemitism has no place in the Democratic Party.
Jewish community and local observers: Rabbi Mara Nathan of Temple Beth El in San Antonio described the situation as "very disorienting," expressing shock that such a virulently antisemitic candidate could become a serious contender. Local political analysts caution that Galindo's primary success was more a product of voter unawareness and a redrawn district than an endorsement of her views, and they suggest her rhetoric is now hurting her prospects in the runoff.