Glenn Ivey won the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District following an intense race between political insiders and millions in funding from outside groups.
Ivey, a former Prince George’s County state’s attorney and congressional aide, beat former Rep. Donna Edwards for the seat she held between 2008 and 2017. The heavily Democratic leaning of the district means Ivey is all but guaranteed the seat in the November general election.
ANTI-ISRAEL VOTES HAUNT EX-REP. DONNA EDWARDS IN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY COMEBACK BID
Ivey outraised Edwards by about $1.2 million to $980,000, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings. A good portion of this money came by way of outside spending from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which wanted to keep Edwards out of Congress for her voting record on Israel.
Though both candidates are progressives with nearly identical policy platforms, this similarity exacerbated their few differences and led to a spending war between the factions of the Israel lobby. AIPAC backed Ivey with over half a million dollars and funded about $6 million in advertisements supporting Ivey and attacking Edwards through an affiliated PAC. However, the attack ads focused on claims that Edwards’s constituent services were lagging during her last stint in Congress. The more liberal J Street PAC, which supports Israel conceding some territory to the Palestinians, backed Edwards.
Edwards had the advantage of high-profile endorsements, including Hilary Clinton, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and House Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). The Washington Post and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) endorsed Ivey.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Israel has been a sticking point in several Democratic primaries, which have usually resulted in losses by the candidate perceived as not being supportive enough of the country. This held true in blue districts in North Carolina and Ohio, where Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) and Valerie Foushee beat out opponents with histories of unsupportive comments about Israel. In a newly redrawn open Pittsburgh district, Democrat Summer Lee bucked this trend and secured the nomination despite saying that Israel has committed “undeniable atrocities.”
