Pro-Israel moderate survives primary challenge by socialist insurgent

The far left on Tuesday suffered a high-profile setback at the hands of the center-left establishment in the battle for the Democratic Party's ideological future.

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed Oliver Larkin lost to more moderate Rep. Jared Moskowitz in the Democratic primary in Florida's 25th District, The Associated Press reported.

The heavily redrawn congressional swing district is among roughly two dozen House seats that will likely determine whether Republicans hold onto their razor-thin majority in the midterm elections.

"Tonight, Democratic voters sent a clear message. I faced a challenge from the DSA. They threw everything at me and I didn’t change who I am or what I believe, and the voters overwhelmingly chose the independent-minded approach I’ve brought to Congress," Moskowitz said in a statement after the race was called.

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The 33-year-old Larkin, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 Democratic presidential campaign, was the only DSA-endorsed House candidate running in a competitive congressional swing district.

Larkin said he supported abolishing the U.S. Senate, arguing in a Fox News interview it's an "undemocratic institution." He has referred to Israel's ruling coalition as a "religious supremacist regime."

Moskowitz is a strong and vocal supporter of Israel and has advocated for robust U.S. military and security assistance.

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The two-term federal lawmaker, a former state representative and Florida FEMA director appointed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, is running for re-election in the state's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a Broward County-anchored swing seat in the southeastern corner of the one-time battleground state that now leans red.

Moskowitz was backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and indirectly by AIPAC, a major pro-Israel political group. Larkin had backing from prominent far-left figures, including controversial political streamer Hasan Piker.

"My condolences to@hasanthehun," Moskowitz wrote on social media, using the X handle for Piker.

Ahead of the primary, Larkin told Fox News, "Democratic socialism can win in any district, in any race, for any office all across the country." He added he was "very proud" to be carrying the "torch forward as a DSA candidate."

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But Larkin fell short, and Moskowitz will now face off in the general election against the winner of a Republican primary field that included Dan Franzese, Raven Harrison, Joe Kaufman, former state Rep. George Moraitis and former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer.

Larkin's defeat was the second setback for the far left in a week in this year's Democratic Party primaries.

In last week's Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial showdown, DSA member Francesca Hong was upset by a razor-thin margin by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who was backed by retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The same day, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan downed moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig by roughly 20 points to grab the party's nomination in a blue-leaning but competitive state in the race to succeed another retiring Democrat, Sen. Tina Smith.

Progressives scored their biggest victory to date two weeks ago, when Abdul El-Sayed narrowly edged moderate Rep. Haley Stevens to capture the party's Senate nomination in battleground Michigan in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

El-Sayed and Flanagan were backed by top far-left leaders, including Sanders, the progressive champion from Vermont.