Current sectionIsrael NewsHaaretz TodayHaaretz Today Aspirational Democratic figures are navigating a seismic vibe shift in which they have to prove their willingness to hold Israel to account rather than stating their pro-Israel bona fidesShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeBen Samuels09:40 PM • May 18 2026 IDTIn previous midterm election cycles, a Democratic political candidate's position on Israel would have been confined largely to niche foreign policy considerations for most voters.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:Haaretz Today NewsletterCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Israel-Iran Live UpdatesIsrael Iraq BaseIsrael ElectionsLebanonNoam BettanSettler ViolenceHaQuizHaaretz PodcastIranian Official: U.S. Shows 'Flexibility' on Iran's Nuclear Program in TalksWill Condemning Netanyahu Be Enough for Democratic Voters These Midterms?Have Benjamin Netanyahu's Polling Numbers Hit a Concrete Ceiling?Revealed: An Anti-left Influence Op in France Leads to Tel AvivPolice to Assist IDF in Arresting Haredi Draft Dodgers in U-turn DecisionRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIHundreds Protest at New York Times HQ Over Column Alleging Abuse by IsraelisStarlink Users, Beware – Israeli Tech Can Reveal Your IdentityEverybody Loses in the Cynical Israeli-Palestinian Sexual Violence CompetitionWelcome to the Most Shameful Day in the Jewish CalendarIsraeli Teens Storm Muslim Quarter in Old City, Haaretz Reporter AttackedIsrael Attacks New York Times for Report on Sexual Violence by Israeli Forces