Policy
Published June 5, 2024 at 1:11 am ET
Veteran Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) defeated an anti-Israel New Jersey mayor Tuesday in the Democratic primary for the Garden State’s 9th Congressional District, a race that centered on divisions over the war between Israel and Hamas.
Pascrell, 87, defeated Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah for the Democratic congressional nomination by a whopping 54-point margin, receiving 77% of the vote with more than three-quarters of the votes received.
The 14-term member of the House of Representatives, first elected to Congress in 1996, has been a staunch supporter of Israel, declaring last December that Israelis “have every right to protect and defend themselves” following the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. Attack on the Jewish State.
Veteran Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) defeated an anti-Israel New Jersey mayor in the Democratic primary for the Garden State’s 9th Congressional District on Tuesday. Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / RED KeynoteUSA
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting me again, NJ-09,” Pascrell wrote in X after his victory.
“I will never stop fighting for our neighbors. I love New Jersey! “American democracy itself will be at the polls this fall,” said in a separate post.
Pascrell, an Army veteran and former mayor of Paterson, was forced to defend his vote to approve $26.4 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel and his insistence that any ceasefire hinge on “freed hostages” amid a Khairullah campaign focused on opposing Israel’s decision. war against Hamas.
Khairullah’s campaign was fueled by Prospect Park’s sizable Palestinian-American population.
The Syrian native moved to New Jersey in 1980 and, in addition to his mayoral position, works as assistant principal at Passaic County Vocational Technology Schools.
Pascrell was running against Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, who he claimed was placed on an FBI terrorist watch list last spring. The Secret Service denied Mohamed Khairullah, pictured, entry to the White House Eid-al-Fitr celebration with President Joe Biden, despite receiving an invitation.
Before the primary election, Khairullah posted photos on Instagram of himself alongside embattled New York “Squad” Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), both critics of Israel.
Last spring, Khairullah claimed he was placed on an FBI terrorist watch list after the Secret Service denied him access to an Eid al-Fitr celebration at the White House.
He previously alleged that he was racially profiled after being detained at JFK airport and questioned about terrorism after returning from a trip to Turkey.
Pascrell, co-chair of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, received strong support from the Democratic establishment, including Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Pascrell, an Army veteran and former mayor of Paterson, was forced to defend his vote to approve $26.4 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel. KeynoteUSA
In September, Pascrell called on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to resign following his indictment on federal corruption charges.
Pascrell will become the oldest member of the House of Representatives if he defeats Billy Prempeh, 34, the Republican candidate for District 9, in November.
If re-elected, he would be almost 89 years old at the end of his next term.
https://nypost.com/2024/06/05/us-news/nj-rep-bill-pascrell-easily-defeats-mohamed-khairullah-in-primary/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
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