{"id":477693,"date":"2026-06-05T12:55:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T12:55:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/477693\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T12:55:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T12:55:15","slug":"in-race-for-nadlers-seat-much-talk-on-israel-but-little-disagreement-the-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/477693\/","title":{"rendered":"In race for Nadler\u2019s seat, much talk on Israel but little disagreement \u2013 The Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Collage<\/p>\n

Collage photo of Rep. Jerry Nadler and the leading candidates to succeed him: Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg and Micah Lasher Photo by Michael M. Santiago\/Getty Images, Michael Nagle\/Bloomberg via Getty Images, Mel Musto\/Bloomberg via Getty Images and Lev Radin\/Pacific Press\/LightRocket via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Jacob<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Jacob Kornbluh<\/a><\/p>\n

June 5, 2026<\/p>\n

With U.S. aid to Israel and the wars in Gaza and Lebanon pressing for voters in many Democratic primaries, the race to succeed Rep. Jerrold Nadler in Manhattan stands out for the relative consensus among the leading candidates on Israel.<\/p>\n

Nadler, who is retiring after 33 years in the House, represents a heavily Jewish district and served as the leading voice in Congress for liberal Jews, making the choice of his successor a significant one nationally.<\/p>\n

During a televised debate on Thursday between top contenders, New York Assemblymembers Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, political scion Jack Schlossberg and attorney Goergie Conway spent more time sparring over super PAC money, artificial intelligence and Donald Trump than on the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n

The three largely shared a broad agreement on support for Israel. None embraced the characterisation of Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza as a genocide. They all touted support for a two-state solution and backed continued U.S. funding for Israel\u2019s Iron Dome missile defense system.<\/p>\n

The contrast with other competitive Democratic primaries was striking. In congressional races in New York City and some others nationally, debates have been dominated by contentious exchanges over military aid to Israel, accusations of genocide and the growing influence of anti-AIPAC politics within the party. Earlier this week, Israel consumed a significant portion<\/a> of the televised debate between Rep. Dan Goldman and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in a neighboring congressional district.<\/p>\n

In another neighboring district, former Columbia University Gaza War encampment activist Daraliza Avila Chevalier is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat<\/a> with his support for Israel front and center. And in a TV debate<\/a> this week in the race to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez in Brooklyn, democratic socialist Assemblymember Claire Valdez \u2014\u00a0who like Lander and Avilla Chevalier has been endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani \u2014 called Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza \u201cU.S.-funded genocide.\u201d<\/p>\n

The relative consensus in Nadler\u2019s district reflects the politics of the district they hope to represent. Jewish voters make up an estimated 30% of the Democratic primary electorate, which stretches across Manhattan\u2019s Upper East and Upper West sides.. When Nadler ran for reelection in 2022 after redistricting forced him to go head to head with Rep. Carolyn Maloney, he campaigned on the need<\/a> to preserve Jewish representation from New York City in Congress.<\/p>\n

The candidates themselves have close ties to the Jewish community. Lasher, Nadler\u2019s endorsed successor<\/a>, is Jewish. Schlossberg, a grandson of President John F. Kennedy, was raised Catholic by his mother, Caroline Kennedy, but identifies as Jewish<\/a>. Bores\u2019 wife, Darya Moldavskaya, is Jewish, and the couple are raising their son Jewish.<\/p>\n

Another factor distinguishing the race from other Democratic primaries is the district\u2019s political makeup.<\/p>\n

In last year\u2019s Democratic mayoral primary, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an outspoken critic of Israel who rose to power by embracing pro-Palestinian activism, won handily in the Goldman and Espaillat districts, but the 12th District split almost evenly<\/a> between Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The candidates also took different approaches to Mamdani. Lasher and Bores did not endorse Mamdani until after he secured the Democratic nomination, mirroring Nadler\u2019s own cautious approach<\/a>. By contrast, Schlossberg endorsed<\/a> Mamdani in the primary and has generally been the most critical in the field of Israeli government policies.<\/p>\n

Mamdani, who resides in Gracie Mansion in the district, has said he won\u2019t endorse in the race, but intends to cast a ballot. In Thursday\u2019s debate, the candidates gave<\/a> Mamdani A- and B grades.<\/p>\n

Polling suggests the race remains highly competitive. A recent Emerson College survey<\/a> showed Lasher with a slim advantage over Bores, while Schlossberg and Conway trailed behind. But most significantly, 32% of likely voters had yet to make up their minds.<\/p>\n

In an online poll<\/a> of 700 debate viewers by host PIX11, 42% said Bores won the debate, compared with 33% for Lasher and 24% for Schlossberg.<\/p>\n

The leading candidates<\/p>\n

Micah Lasher, 44, enters the race with perhaps the deepest roots in New York politics. A longtime Democratic operative and prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of Nadler, Lasher has assembled support from many of the district\u2019s traditional political leaders.<\/p>\n

Lasher started his public career as a special assistant to Nadler in 2007. He previously worked<\/a> for former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman<\/a>, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Kathy Hochul. At 17, he was an informal adviser to then-Assemblymember Scott Stringer, who is also Jewish. He is serving his first term in the State Assembly.<\/p>\n

Growing up in the Upper West Side, Lasher first gained attention<\/a> as a magician.<\/p>\n

His campaign reflects continuity with the brand of liberal Zionism long represented by Nadler, co-chair of the Congressional Jewish Caucus: support for Israel\u2019s security, opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s government and a commitment to a two-state solution.<\/p>\n

Alex Bores, 35, has emerged as the progressive coalition-builder trying to bridge fierce Israel critics and mainstream Jewish voters. He attracted support<\/a> from organizations aligned with the Democratic Party\u2019s left flank, such as the Bernie Sanders-aligned Our Revolution, New York Progressive Action Network and PSC-CUNY, despite describing himself as a Zionist supporter of Israel.<\/p>\n

Bores, a former Palantir data scientist, also serves in the state Assembly. His congressional campaign has become a focal point<\/a> of a major political proxy war over the regulation of AI.<\/p>\n

Some Jewish leaders have expressed concern<\/a> over how Bores would align with the groups who backed him in Congress, as tensions between progressive activists and Zionist organizations continue to grow. Bores also faced scrutiny over social media posts<\/a> of his father, William, some equating between Nazis and Zionists. Bores told Jewish Insider<\/a> he disagrees with his father\u2019s views.<\/p>\n

Jack Schlossberg, 33, has become the race\u2019s most recognizable figure because of his family name and social media presence. He has touted the younger generation\u2019s voice wrestling publicly<\/a> with questions of Jewish identity and Israel.<\/p>\n

Raised Catholic but identifying as Jewish through his father, Schlossberg frequently references his Jewish heritage when discussing Israel and antisemitism. At the same time, he has adopted positions that place him to the left of many Jewish organizations, particularly his support for halting transfers of offensive weapons to Israel.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg repeatedly shares that contrast on X<\/a> as he challenges his rivals on Israel policy.<\/p>\n

The online influencer turned political candidate made Jewish security a central pillar<\/a> of his campaign. He said that if elected, he would immediately introduce legislation to nearly double federal funding for security upgrades at synagogues and other Jewish institutions.<\/p>\n

Their views on U.S. military assistance for Israel<\/p>\n

At Thursday\u2019s debate, as previously, the leading candidates voiced support for funding Israel\u2019s Iron Dome missile defense system amid growing calls<\/a> for ending all U.S. aid to Israel.<\/p>\n

Arms sales and aid for offensive weapons represented the clearest divide among the candidates.<\/p>\n

Lasher said he\u2019d support certain conditions on military aid in accordance with the Leahy laws, which enable the State Department to prohibit military aid to foreign countries when there is credible evidence that they have committed gross human rights violations.<\/p>\n

Bores said he\u2019d \u201cstrengthen those laws significantly\u201d so they apply equally to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg, however, said he would support Democratic efforts to block transfers of 1,000-pound bombs and oppose the sale of bulldozers that could be used for demolitions in Gaza or the occupied West Bank. He went on to accuse his rivals of lacking the \u201ccourage\u201d to challenge the status quo.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Leahy laws give Donald Trump and Marco Rubio full discretion over what constitutes a humanitarian crime,\u201d Schlossberg said. \u201cI\u2019m not comfortable passing the buck to them, and I think the candidates on this stage should be strong enough and have enough courage to actually answer the question.\u201d<\/p>\n

The war in Gaza<\/p>\n

All three candidates voiced criticism of Israel\u2019s handling of the war in Gaza, citing the dire humanitarian situation and the civilian death toll. However, when asked whether Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza constitute genocide, they declined to use the term.<\/p>\n

Lasher maintained that the debate over definitions often \u201cdoes more to divide people of good faith than it does to find common ground. He called the killing of tens of thousands of people in Gaza \u201chorrific,\u201d while emphasizing the need to recognize the loss of civilian life.<\/p>\n

Bores similarly said he\u2019s \u201cnot comfortable\u201d using that word \u201cbecause of the high intent threshold that is required as part of it.\u201d He said that while there are ongoing international investigations, the United States should focus on ending atrocities and expanding humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n

Schlossberg also stopped short of calling the war genocide, though he delivered the sharpest criticism of Israel\u2019s military conduct. \u201cIsrael had every right to defend itself following Oct. 7, but what has happened since then has gone above and beyond,\u201d Schlossberg said. He added that the more important question was what policymakers would do next, pointing to his position on halting offensive weapon transfers.<\/p>\n

Conway, a former Never-Trump Republican who is running on a platform to impeach President Donald Trump, said that while Israel \u200b\u201ddid too much\u201d in the name of self-defense, I don\u2019t think it meets the threshold of genocide \u2026 and I don\u2019t believe that we should abandon Israel as an ally.\u201d<\/p>\n

The debate followed a candidate forum<\/a> Wednesday at which the candidates spoke at greater length about their attachment to Israel, support for a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, and their opposition to Netanyahu.<\/p>\n

Hello, fellow Forward reader! I\u2019m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today\u2019s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward\u2019s independence \u2014 made possible by the generosity of its membership.<\/p>\n

The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.<\/p>\n

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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