Cameron Kasky’s Anti-Israel Agenda Draws Fierce Scrutiny

By: Andrew Carlson

The race to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler — a longtime fixture in New York’s congressional delegation whose district encompasses some of Manhattan’s most affluent neighborhoods — is transforming into one of the most chaotic and ideologically fractured primaries in recent memory. As The New York Post reported on Thursday, Democrats are racing to declare their candidacies or test the waters, with roughly a dozen hopefuls already stepping forward. The district, deep-blue and historically loyal to the party’s nominee, will almost certainly send whoever wins the June primary straight to Congress.

Within that field, established lawmakers, political scions, financiers, activists, and organizers are attempting to define themselves amid a swiftly shifting national landscape. But as The New York Post has noted, among the most polarizing entrants is 25-year-old Cameron Kasky, a Parkland school shooting survivor whose radical platform, denunciations of Israel, and calls for ending U.S. military support to America’s closest Middle Eastern ally are sparking intense backlash across the district — particularly on the Upper West Side and Upper East Side, where Jewish communities constitute a significant share of the electorate.

State Assemblyman Micah Lasher, whose close association with Nadler has positioned him as a frontrunner, formally entered the race earlier this fall. As The New York Post reported, Lasher has framed his candidacy around the conviction that Democrats must utilize “every lever of power” to counter President Trump and congressional Republicans. The 43-year-old legislator previously served as an aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul and earlier worked for Nadler, experience that has strengthened perceptions that he is the outgoing congressman’s preferred heir.

Lasher’s policy proposals include raising the minimum wage, expanding access to childcare, and advancing a Medicare for All framework — signaling his desire to appeal to progressive, middle-income, and union voters alike. His candidacy reflects a continuity-oriented vision for the district: steady-handed, legislative, and aligned with the party’s institutional structures.

Another Albany lawmaker, State Assemblyman Alex Bores, is also pursuing the Democratic nomination. As reported by The New York Post, Bores, 35, represents Midtown East and claims he is running to “recode Washington.” Since entering the Assembly in 2023, Bores has devoted significant effort to policy surrounding artificial intelligence, pushing legislation aimed at regulating its use and mitigating potential harms.

In his announcement video released in October, Bores highlighted legislative achievements tied to technology transparency and online safety, pledging to continue advocating for “the little guy” in Congress. His brand of technocratic progressivism appeals to urban professionals and voters focused on modernization, data security, and governance reform.

Jack Schlossberg — grandson of President John F. Kennedy — has also thrown his name into the contest. As The New York Post detailed, the 32-year-old is leaning heavily into his storied family heritage while also seeking to distinguish himself through highly active and occasionally provocative social-media messaging. His willingness to criticize his own relatives, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has raised eyebrows among Democrats wary of internal party discord.

Though Schlossberg’s legacy confers immediate visibility, his path is complicated by skepticism within portions of the party establishment, which remains uncertain whether a high-profile surname alone can translate into legislative readiness.

Chelsea City Councilman Erik Bottcher, first elected in 2021, has cast himself as a leading voice on LGBTQ civil rights and a defender of New York City’s institutions against what he describes as the political ambitions of President Trump. The New York Post report noted that Bottcher, 46, framed his congressional run as an urgent defense of the city’s values, warning that the former president and his supporters posed a threat to the city’s stability.

Bottcher’s experience spans municipal leadership and community-level advocacy, making him a formidable contender among voters concerned with civil rights, equality, and local governance.

One of the most discussed and divisive figures entering the race is Cameron Kasky, a 25-year-old survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting who has since become a prominent gun-control activist. As The New York Post report emphasized, Kasky identifies politically as a Democratic socialist and is campaigning on a platform that includes Medicare for All, the dismantling of ICE, and significant systemic restructuring — positions that place him firmly at the far end of the Democratic spectrum.

But it is Kasky’s posture toward Israel, Jews, and U.S. foreign policy that has catalyzed the sharpest criticism, especially within Nadler’s majority-Jewish neighborhoods. The New York Post has reported that Kasky, despite his own Jewish background, has condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza as “genocide.” He has also indicated support for ending U.S. military aid to Israel — a stance viewed with alarm and resentment in a district where support for the Jewish state has long been a bedrock political expectation.

Kasky’s rhetoric has provoked serious concerns among voters who regard his accusations as inflammatory distortions of Israel’s war against Hamas. Many residents, particularly those on the Upper West Side — an area steeped in Jewish cultural, religious, and civic institutions — see Kasky’s views as profoundly out of step with the district’s values and dangerously dismissive of Israel’s security needs. As The New York Post report noted, his denunciations, framed in starkly ideological terms, have raised fears that he prioritizes a sweeping socialist agenda over the safety and dignity of Jewish communities.

His call to end military assistance to Israel is viewed by critics as not only misguided but ethically untenable, ignoring Israel’s role as a key democratic ally and frontline defense against Iranian-backed terror organizations. The district he hopes to represent includes thousands of voters deeply invested in Israel’s security, many with personal or familial ties to the region. Kasky’s campaign statements — combined with what The New York Post report described as his increasingly radical political orientation — have only deepened the perception that he is dramatically out of sync with the needs and anxieties of the community.

Liam Elkind, a young community organizer whose nonprofit Invisible Hands gained prominence during the pandemic for delivering food to the vulnerable, began running for Congress even before Nadler announced his retirement. As The New York Post reported, Elkind has criticized the entrenched power of elderly Democratic lawmakers, arguing that the party must make space for younger leadership. The Upper West Side native contends that the Democratic Party is in a state of decline, urging Nadler to step aside rather than pursue another term.

Elkind’s campaign promotes activism, community empowerment, and intergenerational transition, aimed at voters disillusioned with traditional party machinery.

Former WNYC journalist and attorney Jami Floyd has entered the race with a message directed at Democrats who are, in her words, “sick of politics as usual.” As The New York Post reported, Floyd, who has long been involved in legal analysis and public affairs media, seeks more affordable housing and increased public-safety funding. She positions herself as a candidate willing to confront party stagnation and reorient the policy conversation toward practical solutions.

Civil rights lawyer Laura Dunn, whose legal advocacy includes advising the Obama administration’s White House Task Force to Protect Students Against Sexual Assault, has also declared her candidacy. The New York Post report noted that Dunn, 40, has worked extensively on Title IX compliance, sexual-assault prevention, human trafficking, and military justice reform. She has also taken part in protests against ICE enforcement actions.

Dunn’s experience situates her in the intersection of policy, law, and social-justice activism, appealing to voters concerned with gender equity and legal accountability.

Alan Pardee, a former managing director at Merrill Lynch and co-founder of Mercury Capital Advisors, is running to address the escalating cost of housing and the persistent problem of hunger in New York City. As The New York Post report detailed, Pardee emphasizes his record in helping build businesses and managing financial enterprises, offering himself as a candidate who understands markets, investment, and economic opportunity.

LGBT activist Mathew Shurka enters the race as a first-time candidate, presenting his personal history as the foundation of his political vision. As The New York Post reported, Shurka survived conversion therapy and has dedicated years advocating against the abusive practice. He cites his working-class background — recalling years when he struggled to afford rent — as evidence that he understands the economic hardships faced by many Manhattan residents.

According to The New York Post and The New York Times, George Conway — conservative lawyer turned outspoken Trump critic — is considering a congressional bid despite living in Bethesda, Maryland. Conway, 62, is the ex-husband of former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and has reportedly told supporters he intends to counter what he describes as damage inflicted on the Department of Justice.

If Conway runs, his presence would add another high-profile, nationally recognizable figure to an already crowded and ideologically heterogeneous field.