Progressive Democrat Dr. Adam Hamawy won the Democratic primary in New Jersey‘s 12th Congressional District, effectively guaranteeing him a seat in Congress.The Associated Press called the race for Hamawy as the progressive led with 27.4% of the vote and 69% of ballots counted. His victory marks another major win for the ascendant progressive wing of the Democratic Party after Hamawy earned endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) during his campaign. His impending arrival in Congress is set to further expand the ranks of the so-called Squad.Hamawy triumphed in a packed race, being one of 12 Democrats vying for the ticket. His progressive Democratic credentials, national attention for providing medical care in Gaza, and military credentials through his service as a combat medic all helped put him ahead of his competition, with the writing on the wall well before polling opened.
His skill in fundraising was also a key boon to his campaign. He raised the most in the race with over $1 million, with much of this coming from small donations from Muslim and Arab Americans. American Priorities, a pro-Palestinian super PAC, has pledged $2 million in TV advertising, though this total likely won’t be needed given the deep-blue nature of the district.
