Washington DC – Three days after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives convened to approve a military response that enacted legislation that would provide the legal basis for the invasion of Afghanistan and a broader “war on terror.”
The vote was overwhelming, 420 to 1. The only opponent was California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee.
Lee, 77, will face perhaps the biggest electoral test of his career when a primary election for a vacant Senate seat in California takes place on Tuesday.
The congressman is running for the election on the basis of his qualifications as an anti-war candidate. But this time, her focus is on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, which she says makes her position different from other areas.
Lee is running against more than 20 other candidates, including prominent Democrats such as Adam Schiff and Katie Porter. The stakes are high. Mr. Schiff, Mr. Lee and Mr. Porter all chose not to run for re-election to the House of Representatives to focus on their prospects in the Senate.
This means Lee could suffer his first electoral defeat in 26 years in this year's Senate primary. But her candidacy highlights Democrats' differing views on Israel's war in Gaza, which could lead to rifts as the party seeks unity at the polls.
To me, leadership is about doing the right thing.
The only vote against the war in Afghanistan at the time.
California's only U.S. Senate candidate is now calling for a permanent and unconditional cease-fire.
Please vote for me, Barbara Lee, the Peace and Security Candidate by tomorrow Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/uFcBCJMdd2
— Barbara Lee (@BarbaraLeeForCA) March 4, 2024
A lighthouse for progressives
Amar Shergill, chair emeritus of the California Democratic Progressive Caucus, is among those supporting Lee's Senate bid.
He told Al Jazeera that Lee's stance on Israel's war in Gaza was one of the reasons he publicly supported Lee's campaign. “Barbara Lee is a voice for ending suffering around the world, and she will fight for it, regardless of the political cost,” he said.
Over the past few months, Ms Lee has repeated her call for a ceasefire in Gaza dozens of times on her social media accounts, making it a defining element of her campaign.
Americans, especially Democrats, are increasingly concerned about the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians.
A poll conducted in February by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that half of Americans feel that Israel's military operations have gone “too far.” But that number rose to 62 percent among Democrats alone.
But many mainstream Democrats have long resisted calls for a permanent ceasefire, instead expressing support for an Israeli military offensive. That includes President Joe Biden, who just recently expressed hope for a ceasefire to suspend (though not ultimately end) hostilities.
Lee's supporters hope her stance on the issue will lead to a shock victory on Tuesday. Polls show her trailing Democratic rivals Schiff and Porter, as well as Republican candidate Steve Garvey, a former baseball player.
Although foreign policy is rarely a top priority at the voting booth, Shergill said voters are increasingly seeing parallels between Palestinian injustice and domestic inequality.
“Young people are inspired by her moral clarity. We see immigrant communities understanding that what is happening in Palestine can also happen to their relatives in their ancestral homes around the world,” Shergill said. he told Al Jazeera.
California's “jungle” primary
The Senate race in California, the country's most populous state, is scheduled for Super Tuesday, a key day on the US electoral calendar. More states hold primaries on this day than any other state.
Adding to the scrutiny of this high-profile event is the symbolism behind this particular Senate race. Lee and other Senate candidates aim to fill the seat long held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a key Democratic figure who died in 2023.
Ms. Feinstein held the title of being the longest-serving female senator in the history of the U.S. Congress. After her death, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed LaFonza Butler to serve the remainder of her term.
However, Butler declined to run in the 2024 election, making the Senate race without an incumbent. It is unusual for a Senate seat to be vacant in California, a Democratic stronghold. The winner will serve a six-year term in Congress.
Most states have partisan primaries, where candidates from different parties compete for their party's nomination in the general election.
However, California has a so-called “jungle primary,” in which candidates regardless of political party compete together in the first round, and the top two vote-getters face off in the general election.
Democrats like Lee therefore have to compete not only with members of their own party, but also with Republicans and independents.
candidate
Garvey, a Republican baseball star, has led a dark horse campaign that has surprised political observers. Several polls have him tied for second place with Porter, or even ahead of him.
But even if Garvey advances to the general election, Democrats are widely expected to retain the Senate seat in November.
Schiff, an ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is currently leading the race. Schiff is considered a favorite of the party establishment and rose to national prominence after leading the impeachment inquiry against then-President Donald Trump in 2019.
Mr. Porter, on the other hand, is a left-wing lawmaker known for his advocacy for consumers and criticism of large corporations.
On domestic issues, Mr. Lee, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Porter share similar views, although their approaches differ. Even Mr. Schiff, considered a centrist on the campaign trail, supports progressive priorities such as universal health care and a Green New Deal climate change plan.
But the war in Gaza is a watershed. Mr. Schiff, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is a staunch defender of Israel. Last month, he voted with the Republican majority for a $17.6 billion aid bill for Israel. Most Democrats opposed the bill, but it ultimately failed because it did not include aid to Ukraine.
Porter, who has been a member of Congress since 2019, is not well known for his foreign policy positions, but is also a vocal supporter of Israel. In December, she called for a ceasefire with the condition that Hamas be removed “from operational control of Gaza.”
In the same statement, Porter falsely blamed Hamas, rather than the Israeli blockade, for years of “lack of food, clean water, fuel and medicine” in Gaza.
“We believe there needs to be a lasting ceasefire,” she recently told the Los Angeles Times. “This is a conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the United States' job is to bring Israel and Hamas into talks and explore preconditions such as the release of hostages and different leadership in the Gaza Strip.”
In contrast, Mr. Lee has consistently called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
“The only way to bring peace, security and justice to the Israeli and Palestinian people is through a political and diplomatic solution,” Lee said in November 2023.
She is also supported by prominent progressives who support Palestinian rights, including Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Mark Pocan.
Still, she has struggled to keep up with the fundraising of Schiff and Porter, who have more institutional support. Mr. Schiff, for example, had nearly $34.9 million in “cash on hand” for his January campaign, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Lee's potential
So does Lee have a chance to compete in the Super Tuesday race?
Yasar Daboul, president of the Palestinian American League, said he is “hopeful” but realistic about her chances.
“She stands out there and resonates with voters, but there are actually other factors as well,” Daboul told Al Jazeera. “And unfortunately, in American politics, money has a huge impact on the outcome and outcomes of elections.”
Darboul praised Lee's advocacy for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and called her a voice for justice, but it remains to be seen how much her position will sway voters beyond progressives. said.
Mr. Shergill rejected polls that showed Mr. Lee trailing the other three main candidates, saying early indications showed low turnout on Tuesday.
“In low-turnout elections, energetic people like the ones who want Barbara Lee elected can make a difference,” he said.
