Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and a Democratic challenger, Beth Davidson, traded barbs last week, with Lawler accusing Davidson, who is Jewish, of turning a blind eye to antisemitism and Davidson accusing Lawler of stoking antisemitism against her.

The back-and-forth began when Lawler posted photos from a rally Davidson addressed over the weekend, including a poster showing Lawler, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) depicted as marionettes alongside the AIPAC logo — an antisemitic trope.

Another protester was pictured holding a Trump mask with a Hitler mustache drawn on, with the phrase “Heil no!”

“This week, [Davidson] organized a rally with antisemites and Nazi symbolism,” Lawler wrote. “You should be apologizing for fueling this kind of hate and division in our community.”

The district, likely critical to Democrats’ hopes of retaking the House, has one of the largest Jewish constituencies in the country, and Lawler has made antisemitism and Israel policy a priority during his time in office.

Davidson fired back that Lawler was himself fueling antisemitism.

“This is disturbing, dangerous, and very telling — stoking anti-Semitism against a Jewish woman because you’re scared to run against her,” Davidson said. “You try to bully plenty of Jews like this Mike, but it’s not going to work on me, and I will call you out every time … I know you’ve had a bad press week, but stop trying to make supporting Israel and the Jewish community partisan. Enough.”

Davidson went on to highlight her family’s support for Israel, involvement in the Jewish community and experiences with antisemitism.

Lawler shot back that Davidson hadn’t directly denounced the imagery, saying, “these are your supporters and you have no problem associating with them.”

In a follow-up post, Davidson more directly addressed the issue of the rallygoers.

“To be clear, I absolutely condemn the imagery of that poster. I will always be a voice against anti-Semitism and for my Jewish community,” she said. “It’s time for Mike Lawler to stop weaponizing antisemitism for his own political gain and stop using the Jewish community — my community, not his — as political pawns.”

Lawler responded by alleging that Davidson had seen and been aware of the posters and only spoke out after being called out, accusing her of “flip-flopping on this” and of working with antisemitic political groups.

Davidson subsequently said that Lawler was attacking her for her Jewish faith and endangering her and her family, “making false claims of anti-Semitism — without any regard for my safety or my family’s.”

Lawler later said that he was not attacking Davidson’s faith.

“You were rightly criticized for organizing and speaking at an Indivisible Rockland rally which prominently featured antisemitic imagery — including one of the most commonly used tropes that Jews are puppet masters,” he said, demanding that she specifically condemn the Rockland County chapter of Indivisible and its specific leaders for their “culpability in this.”

He also highlighted a sign at another event Davidson attended which depicted Trump and White House adviser Elon Musk in a bathtub emblazoned with a swastika.