Texas Democrats Vote In Runoff After Candidate’s Anti-Zionist Rhetoric Sparks Outrage

Texas Democrats are voting Tuesday in a congressional runoff that has become a national test for the party after candidate Maureen Galindo made a series of inflammatory comments about Jews, Zionists and Israel.

Galindo, a San Antonio housing activist, is facing sheriff’s deputy Johnny Garcia in the Democratic runoff for Texas’ 35th Congressional District. The winner will become the party’s nominee in a Republican-leaning district that was reshaped by Texas redistricting.

Galindo shocked local political observers in March when she finished first in a crowded Democratic primary despite having little political profile. Since then, the race has been overtaken by scrutiny of her comments, including a proposal to turn a local immigrant detention center into a “prison for American Zionists.”

She has also said it was her “perception that Zionist billionaires run the world,” claimed Zionists control media, banking and politicians, and said during a local appearance that she is against “Zionist Jews.” Galindo has denied being antisemitic and has argued that her comments target Zionism and billionaire influence, not Jews as a group.

Even Democrats who are usually sharply critical of Israel have condemned Galindo’s comments. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the party’s best-known progressives, called the remarks antisemitic and unacceptable.

“This is absolutely disgusting. This bigoted garbage and antisemitism should be nowhere near our politics,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

Jewish groups in San Antonio also condemned Galindo’s comments. The Jewish Federation of San Antonio said antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories have no place in public life, warning against rhetoric that targets the Jewish community.

Garcia has tried to frame the race as a question of basic public responsibility, not only Middle East politics.

“We should be bringing people together, not spreading hate, division or dangerous rhetoric,” Garcia said.

The race has another unusual layer: a new outside political group has spent heavily to help Galindo, even as Democrats argue she would be a weaker nominee in November. The group, Lead Left PAC, has paid for ads and mailers supporting her campaign. Its donors have not yet been publicly disclosed, prompting a watchdog group to file a federal complaint accusing the PAC of timing its spending in a way that kept voters from knowing who was funding it before the election.

Brian Romick, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, said the spending showed Galindo’s views were a political liability rather than a source of strength.

“Republican dark money groups are spending big to elevate anti-Israel Democratic candidates who are out of touch with voters — because they’d rather face a weaker opponent in races that will decide the House majority in November,” Romick said. “It’s cynical and it’s disturbing.”

Local analysts said Galindo’s first-place finish in March likely had more to do with low voter awareness, a newly drawn district and a crowded field than support for her comments about Israel or Jews.

Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said Galindo’s rhetoric on Zionism was not a major part of the primary campaign and was probably unknown to many voters at the time.

“To be honest, talking about Israel, talking about some sort of Zionist conspiracy, is not what voters are looking for,” Taylor said.

Tuesday’s runoff will now show whether Galindo’s surprise March finish can survive the national attention, or whether Democratic voters reject her after the backlash from party leaders and Jewish groups.