Progressive House Democrats referred to as “the Squad” are facing an onslaught of personal problems spanning from ethics complaints and federal criminal investigations to competitive primary contests, setting up a tough 2024 election season right out of the gate for some of the Democratic Party’s most vocal members.
Since the fall of last year, several of the Squad members have come under fire for their support of Palestinians as Hamas and Israel continue to wage war in the Middle East. Underneath this joint effort of solidarity are separate personal problems that weigh on each member and put them on the defensive heading into primary season.
Reps. Cori Bush (D-MO), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Summer Lee (D-PA), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) all face brutal primary challenges, with their line of opponents growing after the escalation of the Hamas-Israel conflict on Oct. 7. All except Bowman outraised their challengers last quarter, according to recent campaign finance records. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) raked in a staggering amount last quarter at $3.7 million, a total that will significantly raise the stakes in her contest.
Serious threats to the Squad members’ tenure in Congress are pro-Israel groups, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is funneling millions to target the members for their criticism of the Israeli government. AIPAC endorsed Bowman’s challenger, George Latimer, and 40% of his campaign contributions have come directly from the group.
“Americans across the country are strongly supporting pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans and are working to defeat anti-Israel candidates. Our activists are deeply engaged and energized given the critical stakes in this election for the pro-Israel movement,” AIPAC spokesman Marshall Wittmann said to Politico.
Bowman, Bush, Omar, and Tlaib also are facing battles off the campaign trail and inside the House, where Republicans have introduced multiple censures and filed ethics complaints against their left-wing colleagues.
The House censured Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, on Nov. 8 for “promoting false narratives” about the Oct. 7 attack against the Jewish state and allegedly calling for the “destruction of the state of Israel.” Bowman was censured in December over accusations that he purposely disrupted congressional proceedings by pulling the fire alarm ahead of a vote on a critical government spending bill. The New York Democrat’s conduct was referred to the Ethics Committee, which decided in late November not to open an investigation into the matter.
Bush and Omar are the most recent Squad members to face controversy. Bush is currently under investigation by the Justice Department for allegedly misusing government funds meant for personal security. The Squad member from Missouri has also come under scrutiny for some of those payments after facing an ethics complaint last year alleging she made campaign payments to her now-husband for security services during the 2022 midterm cycle.
Omar faces a censure resolution from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) over accusations of “treasonous statements” related to Somalia. The censure resolution cites a speech given by Omar, the first Somali American to serve in Congress, during which the Minnesota Democrat said she would use her position in Congress to fight for Somaliliand’s sovereignty. Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) requested that the Ethics Committee investigate Omar’s comments, as well.
While the Squad members have long faced pushback and animosity from Republicans who disagree with them, this 2024 election cycle is seeing much more serious, potentially career-ending problems than ever before.
“Without a doubt, it’s a different terrain at least for some of them than the last go-round,” Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL) said to Politico.
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Despite the competitive races they are facing this year and the political turmoil surrounding their caucus, the Squad members are not backing down from their views and will continue to legislate as they see fit.
“I ran for Congress to serve the most marginalized people in my district to deal with the issue of concentrated poverty, to deal with the issue of climate justice, lack of access to affordable housing, all of the issues that the majority of Americans care about,” Bowman said to the outlet. “Whoever the challenge is, whether it’s AIPAC or something else, I’m never going to be distracted from fighting for those issues.”
