Dr. Maxine Dexter, a physician and state representative, emerged victorious in a hotly contested Democratic primary in Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes most of Portland. With the backing of big-money super PACs and pro-Israel donors, Dexter defeated her competitors Gresham city council member Eddy Morales and Susheela Jayapal, sister of Rep. Pramila Jayapal. Despite being the preferred candidate of progressives like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jayapal fell short in the primary due to opposition from pro-Israel donors and potentially deep-pocketed super PACs. Dexter is expected to win the general election and succeed Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who is retiring after 28 years in office.
One key factor in Dexter’s victory was the significant outside spending on her behalf. 314 Action Fund, a Democratic super PAC, spent $2.2 million on advertising for Dexter, while another group, Voters for Responsive Government, spent $3.2 million attacking Jayapal over her handling of the homelessness issue during her time on the Multnomah County commission. The Oregonian editorial board criticized Jayapal’s lack of accomplishments during her tenure, while praising Dexter for her success in passing housing legislation as chair of the state House’s committee on housing and homelessness.
Susheela Jayapal’s connection to the Congressional Progressive Caucus and her outspoken views on issues like Israel’s conflict with Gaza made her a target for pro-Israel donors and outside groups. The Impact Fund, a group supporting Indian-American candidates, spent nearly $160,000 in support of Jayapal’s campaign, but Dexter received significantly more outside support, including funds from pro-Israel donors. Jayapal’s campaign argued that Dexter’s ties to pro-Israel donors suggest a potential alignment on foreign policy issues, despite Dexter’s statements on reviewing humanitarian clauses for all countries, rather than singling out Israel for scrutiny.
The race between Dexter and Jayapal highlighted ideological differences within the Democratic Party, with Dexter positioned as a mainstream progressive and Jayapal as a more insurgent-style fighter in the mold of Ocasio-Cortez. While both candidates support progressive policies like Medicare for All, their stances on issues like corporate PAC donations and the Israel-Gaza conflict differ. Jayapal advocates for a permanent cease-fire and an end to U.S. military funding for Israel, while Dexter calls for a cease-fire that includes the return of Israeli hostages and a review of humanitarian aid clauses for all countries.
The influx of outside spending in the race raised concerns among progressives about the influence of big donors and their impact on the candidate’s policy positions. Jayapal’s campaign pointed to Dexter’s pro-Israel donors with ties to prominent Republicans as evidence that Dexter may be influenced by right-wing interests. Despite this, Dexter received support from 30 of her colleagues in the state legislature who defended her as a principled and independent legislator. The outcome of the primary underscores the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party over issues like Israel, campaign finance, and progressive policy priorities.
