Randy Villegas, a left-wing Democrat running to unseat Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) in California, claimed victory on Tuesday in the jungle primary over Jasmeet Bains, a moderate Democrat who had been favored by pro-Israel leaders as well as the party’s national leadership.

“Voters in the Central Valley have spoken and they have declared that the Valley is not for sale,” Villegas, a progressive activist and political science professor, said in a statement a week after the state’s primaries. “Despite the onslaught of outside corporate money spent against us, we have shown that working people are ready for change.”

While the race in California’s 22nd Congressional District has not yet been officially called for either Democrat, Villegas had 31% of the vote with nearly three-quarters counted as of Tuesday, leading Bains by four points. Valadao, a vulnerable Republican incumbent, claimed 42% of the vote in the top-two primary election.

Democratic Majority for Israel’s super PAC had spent heavily to help Bains, a doctor and assemblymember, investing in a $500,000 TV ad buy opposing Villegas, according to federal filings. (The group also opposed a Democratic candidate, Ammar Campa-Najjar, who lost to a pro-Israel Democrat in a San Diego congressional race.)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had included Bains on its “Red to Blue” program and launched a joint ad buy with her — efforts that stoked ongoing tensions with leading progressive lawmakers who had backed Villegas.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, the House Republican super PAC, also intervened in the primary to boost Villegas — in an apparent effort to elevate a Democrat viewed by party leadership as weaker than Bains in the general election. 

The Cook Political Report has rated the district as a toss-up.

In contrast with Bains, who expressed support for “Israel’s right to exist, defend itself and live in peace as a secure nation,” Villegas called Israel a “genocidal regime” and vowed to vote against additional military funding to the Jewish state if elected.

American Priorities, a new super PAC launched to counter AIPAC’s involvement in congressional races, invested aggressively to bolster Villegas’ campaign.

Villegas was also endorsed by Track AIPAC, the controversial social media account that supports anti-Israel candidates and has faced accusations of antisemitism.

Morris Katz, a progressive consultant who advised Villegas’ campaign, called the candidate “exactly the kind of voice we need in Congress.” Katz has played a pivotal role in elevating candidates with antagonistic views towards Israel into office. 

“He’s going to flip this seat and lead the fight against a corrupt political establishment,” Katz predicted in a social media post on Tuesday.