Pro-Israel Democrat prevails in closely contested Phoenix House race
Yassamin Ansari claimed victory over Raquel Terán by just 39 votes, according to recount
Jason Wise/Getty Images for Green New Deal Network, Climate Action Campaign
Yassamin Ansari, Phoenix City Council member speaks at the Fight For Our Future AZ: Rally For Climate, Care, Jobs And Justice at the state capital on April 23, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Following a recount, a pro-Israel Democrat running for an open House seat in Phoenix claimed a narrow victory on Tuesday over a primary opponent whose Middle East policy views faced scrutiny from Jewish voters.
Yassamin Ansari, the former vice mayor of Phoenix favored by pro-Israel leaders, won the Democratic nomination by just 39 votes, beating Raquel Terán, a former state legislator and party chair backed by the activist left.
The July 30 primary election had been too close to call, triggering an automatic recount, the results of which were announced on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, Ansari, the first Iranian-American elected to hold public office in Arizona, said that she was “deeply honored” to advance past the primary and thanked Terán for running. “It’s time for us to come together and ensure we secure victories for Democrats up and down the ballot this November,” she added.
Democratic Majority for Israel’s political arm, DMFI PAC, endorsed Ansari and spent nearly $300,000 to boost her campaign. “Her hard-won victory over her well-funded anti-Israel opponent proves again that being pro-Israel is not just wise policy, but also winning politics,” Mark Mellman, DMFI PAC’s chairman, said in a statement.
In a position paper circulated during the campaign, Ansari, 32, had vowed to support continued military aid to Israel “without additional conditions,” among other stances endorsed by pro-Israel groups.
By contrast, Terán, 47, was less forthcoming in sharing her positions on Israel, raising concerns among Jewish leaders who were frustrated by her lack of clarity on a key issue, particularly amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
In a statement on Tuesday, Terán said she had called Ansari “to congratulate her on her election” in a bitterly fought race to succeed outgoing Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who is running for Senate.
“I will continue to fight to build a brighter future for everyone in our communities,” she wrote on social media.
Ansari, who will face off against Republican Jeff Zink in the November election, is all but assured a seat in Congress next year due to the partisan tilt of the 3rd Congressional District, which is heavily Democratic.