Guardian columnist argues Israel criticism helped Democrats in 2026 midterms

In a Guardian opinion column dated 7 November 2026, Judith Levine argues that outspoken criticism of Israeli policies may have helped some Democrats win congressional races. She reports that Abdul El-Sayed defeated Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate contest by seven percentage points, despite nearly $30 million in spending by Aipac to oppose him.

Levine also describes victories by six Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed congressional candidates and contrasts the positions of pro-Israel groups backing other contenders. However, she acknowledges that Israel probably had little electoral impact in many places and does not establish that candidates’ positions caused their victories.

The column distinguishes between Aipac and J Street, describing the latter as critical of Israeli government policies and supportive of a two-state solution. It also notes that the six DSA-backed winners ran in strongly Democratic districts, an important limit when assessing how widely their results reflect voters’ views on Israel.