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Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) Is an Israel-Supporting Progressive
(Politico) Natalie Fertig - Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), 36, shocked the political world in 2022 by defeating a Republican incumbent. She evinced strongly progressive views on a host of issues. But she also voted to send military support to Israel. She was one of 20 Democrats who voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan for comments she made after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, including using the phrase "from the river to the sea" on social media. When asked in May about her votes to support Israel, she told me, "American contributions to Israel are tantamount to like 1% of their GDP," arguing that Israel would keep fighting with or without American money. Her reasoning included America's responsibility to its allies and the necessity of ensuring Israel's democracy for women and LGBTQ people in the Middle East. Asked about the money she's received from AIPAC this cycle, she said, "If they want to donate to me because they agree with what I'm saying, that's great. I'm not going to change what I'm saying because of an outside group."