Democratic leaders are condemning Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo over her latest round of antisemitic comments.<\/p>\n
Galindo, who finished first in the Democratic primary for Texas\u2019 35th Congressional District and is in a runoff election against Bexar County Sheriff\u2019s Deputy Johnny Garcia. Democratic leaders in Washington and Texas have backed Garcia amidst a mysterious six-figure advertising campaign to boost Galindo, a sex therapist and housing advocate.<\/p>\n
Last weekend, Galindo said in an Instagram post<\/a> that she intends to write legislation to \u201cturn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists,\u201d Galindo wrote on Instagram in a carousel accusing Garcia of being \u201cpaid by Zionist terrorism and trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n The proposal is the latest in a line of antisemitic comments Galindo has made, which include saying that Jews run Hollywood and worship the \u201csynagogue of Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n A flood of Democrats, from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico<\/a>, have condemned Galindo\u2019s comments. And they\u2019ve slammed Republicans for their seeming affiliation with the pop-up PAC spending hundreds of thousands on Galindo\u2019s candidacy.<\/p>\n \u201cThis antisemitic rhetoric has no place in our politics,\u201d Talarico said<\/a> in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, adding that he would not campaign with her if she were to win the runoff. \u201cWe need leadership in both parties willing to stand up and call out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.\u201d<\/p>\n The runoff is highly consequential for both parties. Republicans in the Legislature redrew the San Antonio-area seat last summer to turn a district that Vice President Kamala Harris won by over 33 percentage points into one that would have backed President Donald Trump by a margin of about 10%.<\/p>\n Advertising dollars have poured into the seat, which includes parts of Bexar County and rural counties to the east, backing both candidates. All of the pro-Galindo spending has come from Lead Left PAC, a pop-up group that was formed in early May and has not yet had to disclose its donors.<\/p>\n Lead Left PAC appears to be tied to the GOP; Punchbowl News reported<\/a> that the metadata on its website initially linked to WinRed, a major Republican donation platform. Lead Left PAC has not responded to questions about its donors or what entities are behind it.<\/p>\n The PAC has spent nearly $600,000 on broadcast and cable, and additional funds on mailers boosting Galindo and bashing Garcia. <\/p>\n Madison Andrus, a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson, called seeming GOP interference on Galindo\u2019s behalf \u201cextremely dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter what your politics are, using virulent antisemitism for your own partisan gain is nothing short of disgusting,\u201d Andrus said.<\/p>\n In a joint statement, Jeffries and DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene pointed the finger at GOP leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cHouse Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy, pull spending in the race and forcefully condemn these comments,\u201d the pair said. \u201cThis vile language by her is disqualifying and has no place in America politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party. To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic \u2014 and extremely dangerous \u2014 rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale.\u201d<\/p>\n The National Republican Congressional Committee, meanwhile, did not address the allegation that the GOP was meddling in a Democratic primary in its own statement.<\/p>\n \u201cHakeem Jeffries\u2019 pathetic handpicked candidates were already staggering through the cycle with embarrassing fundraising numbers, zero grassroots energy and no real support from Texans,\u201d NRCC spokesperson Christian Martinez said. \u201cNow Democrats Johnny Garcia and Maureen Galindo are tearing each other apart in a full-blown primary civil war, turning their own races into a circular firing squad while Republicans stay focused on the issues Texans care about and build the coalition that\u2019s going to win in November.\u201d<\/p>\n Republicans have a runoff of their own in the 35th Congressional District between state Rep. John Lujan<\/a> and veteran Carlos De La Cruz.<\/p>\n On X<\/a>, De La Cruz condemned Galindo\u2019s comments as well.<\/p>\n \u201cI wore the uniform to defend every American, no matter their faith,\u201d he said. \u201cThis rhetoric is disgusting and has no place in Texas.\u201d<\/p>\n In recent weeks, Garcia has been endorsed by national and Texas Democrats alike, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar<\/a> \u2014 whose district was dismantled to create the one Garcia is running for \u2014 and Rep. Lizzie Fletcher<\/a>, the chair of the Texas Democratic Delegation.<\/p>\n Garcia has responded to the pro-Galindo spending with an ad of his own, calling Galindo \u201cMAGA\u2019s favorite\u201d and saying Republicans were propping her up because Galindo\u2019s \u201cconspiracy theories and hateful words make her the easiest Dem to beat.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, the Blue Dog Action PAC, which backs centrist Democrats and has endorsed Garcia, and Project 218, a Democratic Party-aligned super PAC, have spent nearly $600,000 on their own ads supporting Garcia.<\/p>\n In a statement to the Texas Tribune over text, Galindo stood by her proposal, insteading condemning the media for \u201cmiswording my proposal to sound anti-Jew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll politicians who have taken Israeli money should be tried for treason for aiding a foreign national with materials to harm Americans,\u201d Galindo said.<\/p>\n When asked what she made of Democratic leaders condemning her, Galindo said she doesn\u2019t care \u201cwhat any Zionist-owned politician thinks. They\u2019re exposing themselves as Zionists which will backfire on them.\u201d<\/p>\n