Recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran are challenging the Democratic Party's recent unity, with some members breaking ranks over war powers legislation. The conflict is particularly testing Democrats who have differing views on Israel policy, potentially affecting upcoming primary elections.
WASHINGTON — Democrats who had been feeling discouraged about their lack of control in the nation’s capital have found reasons for hope in recent months.
The party, which has historically struggled with internal ideological conflicts, has largely come together in opposing President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration approach, especially following the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis. With midterm elections approaching and Democrats needing only a handful of additional seats to regain control of the House, the party has successfully kept the administration playing defense through attacks on Trump’s economic record and his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier.
However, recent military action by the United States and Israel targeting Iran threatens to fracture this newfound solidarity. At first, Democratic leaders tried to strike a balance — condemning Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died over the weekend, while simultaneously pushing for Congress to approve war powers legislation that would limit Trump’s military options.
“We need a strong, clear, vocal united opposition party to fight back and put a check on his power,” Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, who is competing in a Democratic congressional primary this month, said in an interview.
Yet cracks are beginning to show as several Democrats, particularly those with strong pro-Israel positions, are expressing doubts about the war powers measure. Ohio Representative Greg Landsman refuses to support an Iran resolution. Representative Josh Gottheimer had already announced his opposition before the strikes occurred.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who supported war powers legislation regarding Venezuela in January, has now split from his party colleagues on the Iran measure and dismissed claims that the attack violated international law, creating tension with party leadership.
“John Fetterman knows better,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday on CNN as he pressed for an Iran vote this week.
The Republican Party is also experiencing internal conflict, with prominent supporters of Trump’s “America First” agenda openly questioning how these strikes align with his long-standing criticism of military involvement overseas.
Trump, who provided little advance warning to Americans about the possibility of such significant military action, announced Monday that the operation might continue for four to five weeks. He has not outlined a clear strategy for ending the conflict and has cautioned that American military deaths could increase, which will severely test public support for the engagement.
The military action could also drive up gasoline prices and create economic instability that may strengthen Democratic claims that the president is disconnected from the financial struggles of ordinary Americans.
Nevertheless, this situation creates difficulties for Democrats, who have been engaged in intense internal discussions about the party’s stance toward Israel following the Gaza conflict. Former President Joe Biden’s strong support for Israel during the heated 2024 campaign season conflicted sharply with younger voters who were angry about the situation facing Palestinians in Gaza. When Kamala Harris became the party’s nominee that year, she had trouble winning over some younger voters who are essential for Democratic victories.
When asked whether he was concerned those divisions could resurface, Paco Fabian, the political director for the progressive advocacy group Our Revolution, said “definitely” and acknowledged that Democrats “aren’t monolithic.” But he also suggested a shift was underway, noting the results of a New Jersey special election last month.
During that race, the super PAC connected to the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs committee tried to defeat the moderate candidate, Tom Malinowski, after he criticized unconditional aid to the Israeli government. Those tactics seemed to backfire when the more progressive candidate, Analilia Mejia, won the primary.
“A lot of folks are waking up to that influence,” Fabian said. “Given what’s going on right now, I don’t think the moment is doing AIPAC and Israel any favors.”
Public opinion regarding Israel appears to be changing. Three years ago, 54% of Americans had greater sympathy for Israelis compared with 31% for Palestinians, according to Gallup polling released last month. Currently, their support is roughly equal, with 41% saying they sympathize more with Palestinians, and only 36% expressing the same sentiment about Israelis.
Initial public reaction to the airstrikes seemed more critical than supportive, early surveys indicated. Approximately 6 in 10 American adults opposed the U.S. decision to launch military operations in Iran, according to a CNN poll conducted through text messaging over the weekend. A separate quick survey from The Washington Post conducted via text message on Sunday found that roughly half of respondents opposed the strikes, while 39% supported them. About 1 in 10 remained undecided.
Democrats and independents accounted for most of the opposition in those early surveys, while Republicans showed much stronger support.
The CNN survey revealed that most Americans believe Trump should be required to obtain congressional authorization for any additional military action in Iran. About 8 in 10 Democrats and roughly 7 in 10 independents agreed with this position, compared to about 3 in 10 Republicans.
The immediate political consequences of the Iranian attacks could become apparent as early as Tuesday during the first primary contests of this year’s midterm election cycle.
In North Carolina, Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam was already entering her campaign to challenge two-term Representative Valerie Foushee with endorsements from Our Revolution and other leading progressive organizations. After accepting support from AIPAC-connected groups during her 2022 race, Foushee’s campaign has refused such contributions this time around. Over the weekend, she stated she does not support “Trump’s illegal war with Iran” and would back the war powers resolution.
Still, Allam, who would become North Carolina’s first Muslim member of Congress if elected, quickly released a video before Tuesday’s election criticizing Trump for “starting another endless war” and vowing to never accept support from “the pro-Israel lobby.”
Before the March 17 primary in Illinois, AIPAC-aligned organizations have also attacked Biss, the Evanston mayor who hopes to become the Democratic nominee to replace retiring Representative Jan Schakowsky. In the interview, Biss discussed the “backlash I’m hearing people have against AIPAC, their MAGA-aligned money and their Trump-aligned policy agenda.”
When asked about such predictions, Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for AIPAC’s affiliated super PAC, said “the key distinction will be between those who recognize that Iran is a murderous regime that tortures women for leaving their hair uncovered, hangs gay people, and executes peaceful democratic protestors, and those who will turn a blind eye to the regime’s atrocities.”