THE LEADING CHALLENGER to progressive Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., said her campaign was encouraging independents and Republicans to re-register as Democrats so that they can vote against Lee in the primary. The comments came during a fundraiser Monday night hosted by several U.S.-based groups linked to India’s far-right Hindu nationalist movement.
Bhavini Patel, a borough council member in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, told supporters on the fundraising call that she could help take down the progressive Squad by leveraging support from right-wing Hindu and pro-Israel supporters.
During the fundraiser, which was attended by 30 people on Zoom and first reported on by Pittsburgh City Paper, Patel spoke of plans to tap into Republican support for her campaign, attract national spending, and eventually take down the progressive Democratic incumbents.
“We are making really strong efforts within the Jewish community, within the Hindu community, to encourage people registered as independents and Republicans to re-register as Democrats for the primary.”
“We are making really strong efforts within the Jewish community, within the Hindu community, to encourage people registered as independents and Republicans to re-register as Democrats for the primary,” Patel said.
Asked about non-Democratic voting in the primary, Patel said the primary is closed but that, because the district leaned heavily blue, the primary election would be competitive whereas the general would not be. Attendees concurred that Patel could leverage Republican support.
“She is so fringe and so extreme,” Patel said of Lee. “There are many Republicans who see that in this district.”
This story was originally published in theintercept.com. Read the full story here .