{"id":2598,"date":"2026-05-22T17:42:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/22\/texas-democratic-candidate-condemned-for-comments-about-prison-for-american-zionists\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T17:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:42:39","slug":"texas-democratic-candidate-condemned-for-comments-about-prison-for-american-zionists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=2598","title":{"rendered":"Texas Democratic candidate condemned for comments about \u2018prison for American Zionists\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"90712510-fbf9-4f9b-b887-6f2bbb223cb3\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Maureen Galindo holding a microphone gestures while speaking as Johnny Garcia sits at a blue table\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/5dadd2ee9f706dd01e2ae53b557af939b48af972\/0_0_4510_3007\/master\/4510.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310.03436807095346\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Maureen Galindo and Johnny Garcia in San Antonio on 6 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: San Antonio Express-News\/Hearst Newspapers\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"90712510-fbf9-4f9b-b887-6f2bbb223cb3\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Maureen Galindo and Johnny Garcia in San Antonio on 6 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: San Antonio Express-News\/Hearst Newspapers\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">Texas Democratic candidate condemned for comments about \u2018prison for American Zionists\u2019<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-15in7js\">\n<p>Democrats allege that conservative groups may be propping up campaign of Maureen Galindo for House seat<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/live\/2026\/may\/22\/donald-trump-ai-china-iran-war-powers-hormuz-latest-news-updates\" data-link-name=\"in standfirst link\">US politics live \u2013 latest updates<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A Democratic House candidate in Texas is facing bipartisan condemnation and accusations of antisemitism after she said she wanted to turn an immigration detention facility into a \u201cprison for American Zionists\u201d if elected \u2013 leaving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/democrats\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Democrats<\/a> scrambling to ostracize her from the party and alleging that conservative groups may be propping up her campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Maureen Galindo is running against Johnny Garcia in next week\u2019s Democratic primary for Texas\u2019 35th congressional district, which covers parts of San Antonio and portions of the surrounding counties. The district was once solid blue and is currently represented by a Democrat, but the race remains highly competitive after being made much more favorable to the GOP following Texas Republicans\u2019 mid-decade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/ng-interactive\/2025\/aug\/01\/texas-republicans-congressional-redistricting-trump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">redistricting efforts last summer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Last week Galindo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYRyMXOFQCN\/?img_index=7\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">wrote on Instagram<\/a> that if elected to Congress, she would write a bill to declare that Zionism is antisemitic, and would \u201cturn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking. (It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists)\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The next day, Galindo told a local radio station that she is not antisemitic, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tpr.org\/government-politics\/2026-05-14\/democratic-runoff-in-texas-35th-congressional-district-roiled-by-comments-about-jews-and-israel\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">opposed to \u201cZionist Jews\u201d<\/a>. She also said Garcia and others supported by pro-Israel groups should be \u201ctried for treason\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Democrats allege that a mysterious political action committee (Pac), Lead Left Pac, which was founded less than a month ago and has <a href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00948208\/1977271\/se\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">spent more than $900,000<\/a> promoting Galindo, is a GOP attempt to ensure that their candidate in the district faces a weak opponent in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The group, which is the biggest single spender in the Democratic primary runoff and has yet to reveal its donors, has put more than $600,000 toward ads, according to tracking firm AdImpact. Federal campaign finance filings show it is also spending on mail.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Links to the GOP fundraising website WinRed were removed from its website\u2019s metadata after Punchbowl News <a href=\"https:\/\/punchbowl.news\/article\/house\/republicans-meddling-house-democratic-primaries\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">reported<\/a> on it several weeks ago. The group also ran ads <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/05\/12\/us\/politics\/gop-mystery-pac-midterms.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">in Democratic primaries in Pennsylvania and Nebraska<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, and Suzan DelBene, a representative who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement that Galindo\u2019s comments were \u201cextremely dangerous\u201d and \u201cvile,\u201d and have \u201cno place in Democratic politics\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cTo embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic \u2013 and extremely dangerous \u2013 rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale,\u201d they added. \u201cHouse Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy, pull spending in the race and forcefully condemn these comments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic representative, slammed Galindo\u2019s comments as \u201cbigoted garbage and antisemitism\u201d. She <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AOC\/status\/2056879559463547218?s=20\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">added<\/a> that \u201cthe donors behind the Republican Super Pac funding her should be exposed\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz said in a joint statement: \u201cIf, for some reason, Maureen Galindo wins &#8230; as soon as she is sworn in, we will force a vote to expel her every day she is here.\u201d They added: \u201cMaureen\u2019s insane, antisemitic views \u2013 including putting Americans in concentration camps \u2013 have no place in our party or country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Garcia <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johnnygarciatx\/status\/2056848846211239999\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">said<\/a> Galindo was \u201cpushing conspiracy theories and hateful rhetoric\u201d, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johnnygarciatx\/status\/2056849373984645556\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">adding<\/a>: \u201cThat\u2019s why Republicans are spending to boost her campaign \u2026 they see her as the easy opponent to beat this November.\u201d Texas\u2019 most prominent Democrat, James Talarico, who is running for governor, endorsed Garcia and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jta.org\/2026\/05\/15\/politics\/talarico-wont-campaign-with-democratic-house-candidate-who-wants-to-open-a-prison-for-american-zionists\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">told<\/a> the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he would not campaign with Galindo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Asked about allegations that Republicans have backed Galindo, Mike Johnson, the House speaker, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CBSNews\/status\/2057220860273197362\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">told<\/a> reporters on Wednesday: \u201cOf course not. I didn\u2019t even know this person existed. I don\u2019t know anything about it, except that these crazy comments surfaced yesterday \u2026 and I thought this is a perfect example of where the Democratic Party is going. We say all the time: This is not your father\u2019s Democratic Party.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Galindo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maureenforuscongress.com\/press\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">statement<\/a> on her campaign website reads: \u201cMaureen NEVER said that she wants anyone in internment camps!! She never said \u2018internment camps\u2019; that was a very unethical journalist desperate to take her down through a screenshottable article title.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cShe does want Karnes ICE facility to be turned into a prison for the billionaire zionists who have profited off genocidal prison state materials and trafficking. Prosecution has nothing to do with religion &#8211; they could be Evangelical, Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, etc.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIt\u2019s also true she wants a whole department and tv channel of exposing pedophiles and yes, sending them for castration at Karnes Prison, then moved to prisons with violent criminals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The statement ended saying that Galindo wanted to her from people in the district about ideas for a name for the facility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Galindo, a former sex therapist, finished first in the primary in March and will compete in the runoff election against Garcia, a former sheriff\u2019s deputy, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/texas\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Texas<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/democrats\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Democrats<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/judaism\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Judaism<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Texas%20Democratic%20candidate%20condemned%20for%20comments%20about%20%E2%80%98prison%20for%20American%20Zionists%E2%80%99&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/22\/texas-democrat-maureen-galindo-zionists?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F22%2Ftexas-democrat-maureen-galindo-zionists&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/22\/texas-democrat-maureen-galindo-zionists\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maureen Galindo and Johnny Garcia in San Antonio on 6 May 2026. Photograph: San Antonio Express-News\/Hearst Newspapers\/Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}