Sharif Street is something of an anomaly. A Democratic state senator running for Congress, he\u2019s angling to replace retiring Rep. Dwight Evans in a deep-blue Philadelphia seat. He\u2019s Black, Muslim, and relatively moderate. He would not necessarily be a vocal critic of Israel in the House.<\/p>\n
Street is walking a fine line on Israel policy, articulating views that range from moderate to evasive. That has rankled some of Philadelphia\u2019s progressive Muslim organizers, but it may well reflect an effort to appease the city\u2019s diverse voting blocs. Philadelphia\u2019s large Muslim and Jewish populations don\u2019t fall neatly on either side of issues related to Israel and Gaza, and Street\u2019s supporters and detractors alike argue that they don\u2019t want identity politics to overshadow substantive policy debates.<\/p>\n
Many Muslim Philadelphians \u201cmay like Street personally,\u201d said Yusuf Abdul Hameed, a member of the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, \u201cbut they\u2019re upset because of his lack of courage to really condemn Israel for what clearly was a genocide.\u201d Hameed counted himself among those who like Street, but he said he\u2019s backing his opponent, Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb, a progressive who has carved out a lane on the left by being openly critical of Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their competition now stands to turn Philadelphia into a testing ground, where voters have a chance to signal how much Israel and Palestine still matter to them as the Trump administration\u2019s barrage of constant scandals, crackdowns, and excesses dominates the midterms cycle.<\/p>\n
Street doesn\u2019t have Israel policies on his campaign website. His stance on the issue has largely come to light through public statements he made in his former role as chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party after the October 7, 2023, attacks and over the course of the campaign. His current vagueness has raised questions about whether he would accept campaign funding from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or other factions of the pro-Israel lobby.<\/p>\n
\u201cI recognize that there won\u2019t be peace for the state of Israel without peace for the Palestinian people, but there won\u2019t be peace for the Palestinian people unless there\u2019s peace for the state of Israel at some point,\u201d Street told<\/a> the Philadelphia Inquirer last month.<\/p>\n Street supporter Salima Suswell, an organizer in Philadelphia\u2019s Black Muslim community, said Street had been a leader for Muslims in the city and in the district and also spoke out on Gaza. She said Street and other Black Muslim officials can face a greater pressure to choose sides between Israel and Gaza but that she was confident in Street\u2019s ability to listen to and act on the needs of residents in the district.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat said, the Black Muslim community stands in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Gaza. I fully trust that Senator Street will be a force for good in Congress, and he will fight for our communities both domestically and abroad,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the country, Philadelphia has a sizable community of Black residents who converted to Islam in the 1960s, during the rise of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. The city is also home to many Jewish voters, including younger ones who are more likely to be critical of Israel than the older generation, as well as moderate, pro-Israel Jewish Democrats who make up a large portion of the voting bloc.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The political complexities of Philadelphia\u2019s religious electorate could make things difficult for AIPAC, which has been searching for ways to shape midterm races this cycle without drawing too much negative attention<\/a> to itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n AIPAC has not publicly endorsed in the 3rd Congressional District race. But Street was the beneficiary of a short-lived, secret fundraising page hosted by a little-known pro-Israel group \u2014 one that AIPAC has used to direct donors to at least one other candidate <\/a>this cycle.\u00a0<\/p>\n The fundraising page, hosted by the Pro-Israel Network, urged donors to contribute to Street\u2019s campaign. The page was live until late last year, when it came to the attention of Philadelphia\u2019s progressive circles and suddenly vanished. The Pro-Israel Network is not officially affiliated with AIPAC. But as AIPAC has adopted a quieter role<\/a> in elections this cycle, the Pro-Israel Network is one of several proxies<\/a> the more prominent group has used to highlight preferred candidates for its donors.\u00a0<\/p>\n Street\u2019s campaign said in a statement to The Intercept that they weren\u2019t aware of the page until it was brought to their attention and that they didn\u2019t seek the group\u2019s endorsement or receive any campaign contributions through the page.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSharif is not seeking AIPAC\u2019s endorsement, and we weren\u2019t aware of the Pro-Israel Network page until folks showed it to us. We didn\u2019t coordinate with that group and haven\u2019t received any funding from it,\u201d Street\u2019s campaign spokesperson Anthony Campisi said.\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019re independent of corporate interests \u2014 and powered by members. Join us. <\/p>\n Join Our Newsletter <\/p>\n Thank You For Joining! <\/p>\n \n Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you. <\/p>\n Will you take the next step to support our independent journalism by becoming a member of The Intercept?\n <\/p>\n By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Use<\/a>.<\/p>\n Beth Miller, the political director for Jewish Voice for Peace Action, said she hopes the Street campaign will keep it that way.<\/p>\n \u201cPro-genocide groups like AIPAC are directly at odds with what Democratic voters want. The overwhelming majority of Democratic voters have made it clear that they want the U.S. to stop funding Israel\u2019s atrocities against Palestinians,\u201d Miller said. \u201cNo Democratic candidate should be taking a dollar \u2014 or any other kind of support \u2014 from groups that are so at odds with the party\u2019s own base.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, the executive director of CAIR-Philadelphia, many in the Philadelphia community view the issue of Israel and Palestine as a window into broader debates, and they see reason to be wary of politicians who waver from moral stances.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Israel\u2013Palestine issue is not only important as a foreign policy matter, but also as an issue that intersects with rights, with freedoms, with how we stand up for oppressed people in our own communities in the U.S.,\u201d Tekelioglu said. He said Philadelphians \u201care now asking for more, and are coming closer to an accountability politics point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n As a nonprofit, CAIR-Philadelphia cannot endorse a candidate, but Tekelioglu said he\u2019s volunteering for Rabb in his personal capacity. The national political arm, CAIR Action, plans to endorse in the race but has not yet announced its pick.<\/p>\n Hameed, who has been a member of the Nation of Islam since the 1980s, said it would be nice to have a Muslim representative in Congress, but sharing race or religion with a candidate wasn\u2019t enough to earn his vote. He criticized attempts to make excuses for Black Democrats who have taken support from AIPAC, like Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Ritchie Torres of New York and Glenn Ivey of Maryland.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese people support Israel, and they\u2019re getting money from AIPAC, and they\u2019re complicit with genocide,\u201d Hameed said. \u201cThey would turn on them in a dime.\u201d<\/p>\n During a candidate forum in December, Street was asked<\/a> whether he would support legislation to block arms sales<\/a> to Israel. He said peace and security relied on getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and rebuilding, but that his allotted response time wasn\u2019t enough to answer the question or address such a complicated issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re gonna do this topic justice, talking about peace in the Middle East is not really a one-minute answer,\u201d Street said. \u201cCatchy soundbites sound good, but they don\u2019t save lives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTalking about peace in the Middle East is not really a one-minute answer.\u201d<\/p>\n While several candidates criticized Israel\u2019s destruction in Gaza, Rabb was the only one of the five candidates present to state specifically that he would support such legislation. During another forum in January, Rabb was also clear on his stance on the leading pro-Israel lobbying group, saying<\/a>, \u201cFuck AIPAC.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Street and Rabb are running in a crowded field of more than 10 candidates vying to replace Evans in the May 19 primary. Among them are state Rep. Morgan Cephas, Dr. David Oxman, Dr. Ala Stanford, climate adviser under former President Joe Biden Pablo McConnie-Saad, and real estate developer and nonprofit leader Isaiah Martin. Street is leading the pack in fundraising, with more than $700,000 raised so far. Oxman has raised $497,000 \u2014 including $175,000 he gave to his own campaign. Stanford has raised $467,000, and Rabb has raised $384,000, ahead of Cephas, who\u2019s raised $241,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Muslims United PAC, a national political action committee that has endorsed candidates including Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Summer Lee, endorsed Rabb over Street, mainly because of Rabb\u2019s explicit criticism of the genocide in Gaza. The group declined to comment on the race.<\/p>\n In a statement to The Intercept, Rabb said he couldn\u2019t speculate on who was backing his opponents but that he would never take money from AIPAC. \u201cI have not nor would I even consider meeting with AIPAC because I view them as a racist, extremist organization,\u201d Rabb said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael and Gaza \u2014 and Palestine, more broadly \u2014 deserve the opportunity to engage in peaceful self-determination without U.S. military domination preempting that fundamental right. I support a permanent and immediate ceasefire including release of hostages, recognition that a genocide has occurred in Gaza, and oppose export or use of U.S. weapons in ways that violate U.S. or international law,\u201d he said. Rabb is also running on rejecting corporate PAC money, fighting the influence of billionaires in politics, and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.<\/p>\n The Pro-Israel network funding page, a sign that the lobby has its eyes on the race, is a point of contention among critics who say AIPAC shouldn\u2019t be getting involved in races at all, let alone one in a district which Democrats are largely to the group\u2019s left on policy toward Israel and Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAIPAC is a red line,\u201d said Saleem Holbrook, executive director of Philadelphia\u2019s Abolitionist Law Center, a public interest law firm that advocates for criminal justice reform that has worked with Street<\/a> on state reform efforts<\/a> in Pennsylvania.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way that our organization or many progressive organizations are going to back any candidate that takes AIPAC support,\u201d Holbrook said. \u201cBecause when you look at AIPAC\u2019s track record, all AIPAC has done has taken out Black progressive politicians or candidates that had the interest of the Black community in their heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Suswell, the Street supporter, agreed that the race should be about policies that support the community, pointing to affordable housing, quality education, and public safety. \u201cThis should not be about identity politics,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is about track record. Senator Street has an impeccable track record in his district and across the Muslim community.\u201d<\/p>\n Progressive groups have been slowly endorsing Rabb<\/a>, and two sources with knowledge of the race said it\u2019s only a matter of time before they consolidate behind him. Rabb has been endorsed by Philadelphia\u2019s chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, Sunrise Movement\u2019s national and Philadelphia chapters, One PA, and Mt. Airy Democrats.<\/p>\n Both Street and Rabb are actively seeking the endorsement from the Working Families Party, which is planning to announce its pick in the next few weeks. So are CAIR Action and A New Policy.<\/p>\n While Street may not have the backing of leading progressive groups in Pennsylvania, he does have good relationships with their members. That dynamic is one reason progressive groups have taken their time to make endorsements in a race pitting their allies against one another, according to one source close to the race.<\/p>\n Street is endorsed by the Philadelphia Democratic Party, the Muslim League of Voters of the Delaware Valley, and several of Philadelphia\u2019s powerful labor unions<\/a> including Philadelphia\u2019s powerful Building and Construction Trades Council, which encompasses several local shops. He\u2019s also backed by former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, advocates for gun violence prevention<\/a> and several prominent leaders for LGBTQ rights<\/a>.<\/p>\n Street\u2019s campaign pointed to his work advancing religious rights for Muslims in the district, helping to expand healthcare for Pennsylvanians, leading the fight to legalize recreational cannabis and reform the criminal justice system, and protect voting rights. \u201cHe\u2019s going to bring that same drive to Washington, where he will be relentlessly focused on lowering costs, expanding health care access, reforming our criminal justice system, and holding Trump accountable,\u201d said Campisi, his spokesperson.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sharif Street is something of an anomaly. A Democratic state senator running for Congress, he\u2019s angling to replace…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116998,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[55581,55578,55587,32122,55580,55584,55585,55586,69,71,70,55583,55579,55582],"class_list":{"0":"post-116997","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia","8":"tag-article-type-article-post","9":"tag-day-wednesday","10":"tag-language-english","11":"tag-long","12":"tag-page-type-article","13":"tag-partner-factiva","14":"tag-partner-smart-news","15":"tag-partner-social-flow","16":"tag-philadelphia","17":"tag-philadelphia-headlines","18":"tag-philadelphia-news","19":"tag-subject-politics","20":"tag-time-11-00","21":"tag-wc-2000-2999"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116997\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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