Editor’s note: Democratic Majority for Israel has denied their endorsement, but emails with the PAC manager, Augusta Christiansen, refute those claims.”
Jason Blazakis, a former State Department official running for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district, has received the endorsement of Democratic Majority for Israel, a prominent national organization that supports pro-Israel candidates in Democratic primaries.
Originally a partisan spinoff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the group is spending big money in primaries to unseat Democratic incumbents viewed as critics of Israel.
The GOP incumbent, Rep. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield), is a strong supporter of Israel who won an early endorsement from AIPAC. By taking sides in the NJ-7 primary, the Democratic Majority for Israel is seeking an insurance policy so that the seat is held by a pro-Israel representative regardless of the outcome of the general election.
The front-runner in the race, Sue Altman, has distanced herself from positions taken by her former employer, the Working Families Party. That group has opposed a military funding package for Israel and is viewed as supportive of the “pro-Palestinian left.”
“It is more crucial than ever that the United States affirm its unwavering support for Israel and its right to defend itself,” said Blazakis. “I am deeply honored to receive the support of DMFI PAC, an organization steadfast in promoting the values that underpin the enduring bond between the United States and Israel. I look forward to working together with them to ensure peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.”
The endorsement could open the door to some hard-side pro-Israel donors for Blazakis, but the group has not decided if they will mount an expensive independent expenditure campaign to sway Democratic primary votes in the 7th district.
The first vote of the 2024 Democratic congressional primary comes on February 25 when the Hunterdon County Democratic organization holds a convention to award their organization line.
Blazakis and Altman will face off in a debate on Monday, February 19, six days before the first convention. The debate is sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, and the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University and will be streamed on the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, Facebook Live, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube.