Zohran Mamdani, Pro-Israel Candidate, Loses U.S. House Race in Arizona
Zohran Mamdani loses the election to Stanton
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Zahed Jasser, an American physician of Syrian origin and the Republican candidate, lost the U.S. House of Representatives election for Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District to his Democratic opponent, Greg Stanton. According to preliminary results after 72% of votes were counted, Stanton received 63.68% of the vote compared to Jasser’s 34.18%.
Stanton garnered 118,594 votes, while Jasser received 63,656.
Jasser is known for his pro-Israel stance and his activism against what he describes as “Islamism.” He stated that “Israel is not separate from Jews” and that “loving Jews while not loving Israel is a great insult.”
Speaking about Islam, Jasser said, “I have dedicated my life to defeating the plague of Islamism,” describing the confrontation as “a quintessentially American battle,” because, in his view, it is “a confrontation with religious regimes that reject secular laws and seek to impose their interpretation of Sharia by force.”
Jasser argued that antisemitism, which he described as “hatred of Jews,” has resurged in the United States, warning of its escalation across the political spectrum. He noted that “explicit hatred of a people” is the true meaning of this phenomenon.
On the issue of Israel, he said, “American Jews love their country, America, and there is no wrong in them also loving Israel,” adding that the fate of the United States and American Jews is “inextricably linked.” He also mentioned that he lost several friends because of his decision to stand with Israel following the events of October 7.
Jasser’s remarks came during an interview on August 27 with program host Seth Lipsky and Rabbi Pinchas Alush, head of the Beth Tefilah synagogue, at an event addressing antisemitism, his personal experience with it, and his vision for combating it in Congress.
Jasser was born in Ohio and raised in Wisconsin after his parents fled Syria in 1966. He studied medicine on a scholarship from the U.S. Navy and served as an officer in the Navy for 11 years. He later became a prominent voice in the field of “reform of Islamic discourse” after the September 11 attacks, participating in congressional hearings on religious freedom.
