The Squad, which rose to prominence by challenging President Donald Trump and advocating for progressive policies, appears poised to implode as it faces its own challenges as its members enter election season.
The group of progressive House Democrats, including Ilhan Omar, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush and Summer Lee, are each grappling with various obstacles, including personal controversies, criminal investigations and competitive primaries.
Their challengers are funded by the deep pockets of the US-Israel PAC, whose Democratic members are dissatisfied with their anti-Israel stance and rhetoric.
It has now led to Squad members undertaking their own aggressive fundraising activities as they realize the seriousness of their Democratic challengers and now the fragility of their progressive positions.
All Squad members, except Bowman, have managed to outshine their main opponents so far.
Representative Rashida Tlaib speaks during a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington in October 2023. Tlaib subsequently faced censure for statements about the war between Israel and Hamas.
Cori Bush is under investigation by the Justice Department for campaign spending on security services. She has denied all allegations and said she is cooperating
Rep. Ilhan Omar has funneled campaign money to her husband. In 2021, the Somali-American politician paid $2.9 million to her husband’s consulting firm
A challenger to Summer Lee is encouraging independents and Republicans to reregister as Democrats so they can vote against her
Even Rashida Tlaib, who has not yet declared a challenger, has raised a whopping $3.7 million.
Bowman recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with a fire alarm at the Capitol, while Bush is under a federal investigation into campaign security payments that may involve her husband.
Bush is under investigation by the Justice Department for campaign spending on security services. She has denied all allegations and said she is cooperating with the investigation.
The progressive has spent more than $750,000 on security since her election in 2020, including payments to her husband.
She denies any wrongdoing, but faces expulsion from Congress if found guilty.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (right), the only Palestinian member of Congress, faced censure for statements about the war between Israel and Hamas. She is seen speaking at a vigil in January for journalists killed in Gaza
The allegations damaged her signature piece of legislation — a $14 trillion federal package for Black Americans to atone for slavery and the centuries of racist policies that followed. The account was already teetering before her investigation into questionable payments.
Omar also funneled campaign money to her husband. In 2021, the Somali-American politician paid $2.9 million to her husband’s consulting firm, which amounted to 80 percent of the company’s revenue.
Meanwhile, Tlaib faced censure for statements about the war between Israel and Hamas, while Omar was removed from a committee by the Republican Party for past comments about Israel.
The Squad, made up primarily of lawmakers of color with a progressive agenda, must now navigate a different landscape.
With less influence in the House minority and the departure of former House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, they now have to deal with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is more likely to listen to their perspectives.
“No doubt it’s different territory for some of them than the last round,” Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) told me. Politics.
While they have criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the Gaza conflict, their rhetoric has divided the party.
There are also concerns from external influences, especially from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has managed to raise significant funds from major donors.
The super PAC is said to have $40 million in cash on hand at the end of last year.
The group has specifically targeted Squad members for their criticism of the Israeli government and has endorsed a primary challenger to Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
Thirteen Democrats, including Reps. Jamaal Bowman, N.Y., Cori Bush, Mo., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, R.M., voted against a resolution condemning anti-Semitism in the U.S. during a vote in December.
In November, Tlaib was criticized after she accused Joe Biden of supporting genocide and demanded a ceasefire as she threatened electoral fallout in 2024. Cori Bush is left behind
Rep. Cori Bush disputes allegations that she misused government funds intended for private security, even as she confirmed she is under criminal investigation by the DOJ
“Americans across the country strongly support pro-Israel Democrats and Republicans and are working to defeat anti-Israel candidates. Our activists are deeply committed and energized given the critical stakes in these elections for the pro-Israel movement,” said AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann.
There are concerns within the Democratic Party that spending on primaries against influential groups like AIPAC in what are otherwise safe blue seats could divert money from swing seat races.
Despite the controversies and challenges, Squad members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bowman continue to stick to their maverick, activist-inspired approach to lawmaking – remaining undeterred as they run for re-election.
“I ran for Congress to serve the most marginalized people in my district to address the issue of concentrated poverty, to address the issue of climate justice, the lack of access to affordable housing, all issues that the majority of Americans care about. Bowman said.
“Whoever the challenge is, whether it’s AIPAC or something else, I will never let myself be distracted from fighting for those issues.”
Bowman has insisted that the group is “on the same page 99.9 percent of the time,” adding that “we talk every day… we’re really, really close.”
Last month, the U.S. House Committee on Ethics said it would no longer investigate Jamaal Bowman for setting off a fire alarm while trying to use a locked exit in
The congressman was charged with a crime in October and pleaded guilty a day later. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Bowman must write an apology to Capitol Police and pay a $1,000 fine
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics said it would no longer investigate Bowman for sounding a fire alarm while trying to use a locked exit in September, as lawmakers prepared to vote on a measure to prevent a government shutdown.
The decision came a month after the House of Representatives voted 214-191 to censure the New York Democrat. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge after being charged by the D.C. Attorney General for the incident.
Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson for the Justice Democrats, a progressive group aligned with the Squad, says the group is still not overly concerned.
“While our opponents at AIPAC rely on Donald Trump’s billionaire donors, our incumbents, who are working-class Black and brown members of Congress, will continue to rely on the power of everyday people,” Andrabi said in a statement.
The Squad also continues to gain support from other progressive allies, such as Elizabeth Warren, with their commitment to their progressive values and legislative approach, allowing them to influence the House of Representatives if Democrats regain the majority in the upcoming elections.
“The strongest influence in Congress comes from having the strongest ideas,” Warren said. ‘The underlying direction in which these young, outspoken progressives are taking our country is ultimately the right one. And that gives them their strength.’