Democratic Michigan state Sen. Jeremy Moss is declaring his candidacy on Thursday for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, the seat being vacated by Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) as she pursues a run for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) next year.

Ahead of his campaign launch, Moss characterized himself in an interview with Jewish Insider as a strong progressive voice who wants to rally support on the left to identify and speak up against left-wing antisemitism and support Israel. He also emphasized that he wants to speak up for and on behalf of the sizable Jewish and pro-Israel communities in the suburban Detroit district — who stood behind Stevens in recent election cycles.

The current speaker pro tempore of the state Senate, Moss said that the effects of rising antisemitism have been seen clearly in his district and that “this moment calls for us to get into that fight.” 

He’s been outspoken about his support for the Jewish community and Israel as such issues have rocked Michigan, which has seen a spate of antisemitic vandalism and other incidents targeting Jewish institutions and public figures, some of which Moss referenced while speaking to JI.

Moss pledged that he would stand up and “do the right thing by the communities that I represent” in combating antisemitism, regardless of how other lawmakers might respond.

“When I speak out on behalf of the Jewish community, when I speak out on behalf of the liberal Israel-supporting community, I represent real voices that are looking for representation and are looking for public officials to tell their stories in the midst of this chaos. That’s what I’m going to continue to do,” Moss said.

Noting that the Jewish population globally is just 15 million — less than before the Holocaust — Moss said that there are “not even enough Jews alive” to individually combat the antisemitic misinformation that has spread virally on social media sites like TikTok, “so I wanted to amplify my voice even more in this era of rising antisemitism. I’ve used my platform in the state Senate to do so, and certainly want to use that platform in Congress to do so as well.”

He said that properly combating antisemitism will also require forging alliances with others on the left and educating them about what antisemitism is and how it has manifested itself among those professing to be responding to the conflict in Gaza.

“I come at this from a left perspective. On the left, we tangibly understand what is antisemitism on the right,” Moss said. “But it’s tougher for folks on the left to identify how this conflict in Israel absolutely has sparked instances of antisemitism back here at home.”

He said that’s an issue he’s been working on in Michigan and wants to expand upon from Washington.

Moss, who said he was the youngest member of his synagogue board and attended a Jewish day school for part of his education, told JI that his Jewish upbringing has shaped his values and “who I am as a person.”

“In moments of joy and triumph, I’m able to tell the American Jewish story,” Moss said. “Obviously, we’re in a moment of tension and anxiety, and that story is no less important to tell. It’s more important to tell now. This is a community with a very thriving Jewish population that has been looking for a voice. As all of these conversations spiral around us, I think it’s important to have someone from our community in the room.”

In recent days, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped charges against a group of anti-Israel demonstrators involved in college campus encampments and related activity. Moss noted that the individuals involved had been charged with serious crimes including assault, and that Nessel had appeared to be deliberate in who she charged.

“By diminishing the role that education can play here, we’re actually probably contributing even more to the problem,” Moss said. “I think that it’s evident that a lot of what the Trump administration is doing is provocative. And political extremism, whether it’s on the right or the left, never benefits the Jews.”

“Politically, this has become a lightning rod issue in the state of Michigan. I’m very personally and politically close with our attorney general. I trust her judgement on the way forward,” Moss continued. “It’s just a shame that a conflict overseas thousands of miles away from metro Detroit has caused so much turmoil in our communities here.”

Moss is skeptical of the actions the Trump administration is taking in the name of combating antisemitism, such as cutting federal funding to colleges and universities, arguing that more education, rather than less, is necessary to combat antisemitism. He highlighted his own work to implement mandatory Holocaust education in Michigan schools.

“By diminishing the role that education can play here, we’re actually probably contributing even more to the problem,” Moss said. “I think that it’s evident that a lot of what the Trump administration is doing is provocative. And political extremism, whether it’s on the right or the left, never benefits the Jews.”

Moss said that President Donald Trump is coming at the problem of antisemitism with a “hammer” when a “thoughtful and surgical” approach is needed, arguing it’s not clear whether Trump is more focused on “being provocative” or actually tackling antisemitism.

Moss has traveled to Israel five times, including on a Birthright trip in college, and expressed staunch support for the U.S.-Israel relationship, saying he would stand with his prospective constituents and for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

“We have a moral interest in ensuring one of our strongest allies is able to fend off against terror, we have a strategic interest in ensuring that Israel can take on these Iranian proxies which seek to dismantle stability in the region,” Moss said. “The U.S. has all of these interests to grow and maintain its relationship and support for Israel as it fends off against all of these threats.”

He said that the U.S.-Israel relationship must survive beyond any individual controversial leaders in either country. “In this moment of crisis, it is not the time to abandon that relationship,” he continued, when asked about efforts to condition or cut off U.S. aid.

“As an LGBTQ person, I know that Israel is not just the only safe place to be open and out in the entire region, but it has one of the most vibrant LGBTQ populations in the world,” Moss said. “I want to uniquely stand out in my support for Israel from a lens on the left that I think is absolutely missing in this discussion. I’m a credible voice in progressive communities on so many different issues, and it should not exclude support for Israel.”

Moss also argued that there’s a strong progressive case he can make for the relationship and the Jewish state — it has one of the world’s strongest universal healthcare programs, it prioritizes affordable higher education, it protects civil and voting rights, women and minorities take critical roles in Israel’s government and it is the only LGBTQ-friendly country in the region. 

Moss is the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Michigan state Senate, and the first to serve as president pro tempore.

“As an LGBTQ person, I know that Israel is not just the only safe place to be open and out in the entire region, but it has one of the most vibrant LGBTQ populations in the world,” Moss said. “I want to uniquely stand out in my support for Israel from a lens on the left that I think is absolutely missing in this discussion. I’m a credible voice in progressive communities on so many different issues, and it should not exclude support for Israel.”

Addressing the current war in Gaza, Moss said that “all decent participants” should agree that the main goals for the United States should be to free the remaining hostages, to ensure that Hamas no longer governs Gaza and cannot again attack Israel and to work in the long term toward a two-state solution with two “peace-seeking governments” living side-by-side.

Moss described Israel as being “on the front lines” of preventing Iran from spreading its influence throughout the Middle East, destabilizing the region and ultimately attacking the U.S. homeland.

“It is also very important that the U.S. takes a very active and engaged role in ensuring that Iran’s nuclear ambitions cease to expand and really fully dismantle,” he continued. “I can support that as a diplomatic process, as long as there’s an agreement in the end that accomplishes that.”

Speaking about his campaign more broadly, Moss said that he’s running in response to the “crisis in our country right now, both in terms of the economic anxiety that people are facing, but also the threats to core functions of our democracy and the chaos from Donald Trump.”

He said he wants to be part of a “new generation of leaders to step up and take action and fight back.”

In the Democratic primary, Moss could face former Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI), whom Stevens defeated in the 2022 primary. Levin in particular brought Israel policy debates to the center of his campaign as he lashed out at pro-Israel groups that spent millions on ads in support of Stevens.

Asked how he would approach a similar race against Levin, Moss emphasized that he’ll lean into his own record of accomplishments for his district regardless of who else runs against him.

“We’re going to speak to the strengths of our campaign regardless of whoever else gets into the race.” Moss said, pointing to his leading role on issues like gun safety legislation, expanding LGBTQ rights, repealing Michigan’s felony abortion law and protecting abortion rights. “I’ve accumulated a very strong record, and, in many regards, a very progressive record.”

Stevens took a similar approach against Levin in 2022, focusing her campaign on priority issues for voters in the district, such as infrastructure, abortion rights and the environment, while Levin honed in on Israel policy.

Moss added that he has represented hundreds of thousands of residents from the district, who know him and have voted for him in the past. 

“We have absolutely a record and a case to be made for me to continue this fight on their behalf in Congress, and that’s what this campaign is going to be focused on,” Moss said.