In a recent campaign event near Des Moines, Iowa, GOP presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley took aim at her opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, for campaigning with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. She labeled Massie as the “most anti-Israel Republican there is” and claimed that DeSantis had brought him to Iowa.
Haley accused Massie of siding with the far-left “Squad” and voting against bills that support Israel. She explicitly mentioned his votes against a resolution to call out anti-Semitism on college campuses and to prevent giving $6 billion to Iran for five hostages. She criticized DeSantis for campaigning with Massie while also stating that this is Israel’s war, not America’s.
Massie, a self-identified Libertarian, has opposed much of the legislation in support of Israel but maintains that he supports Israel. He has voted against a resolution reaffirming Israel’s right to exist, citing an objection to equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. His vote put him on the same side as Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo.
In the town hall held at Johnston, Iowa, DeSantis and Massie were present. This event led to Haley’s criticism of DeSantis for bringing in the supposed pro-Palestinian Rep. Massie as his campaign guest. The desire to campaign with Massie may have been a bad strategic move for DeSantis in a state like Iowa, where the evangelical vote carries weight.
While it is unclear whether DeSantis knew about Massie’s stances on Israel before campaigning with him, this incident is likely to stir controversies during the 2024 presidential race. Haley, who is known for her pro-Israel stance, may use her opponent’s decision to campaign with an individual who is critical of Israel as a wedge issue during the primaries.
Massie has been consistent with his views on Israel, and his voting record shows he has always sided against supporting the country. His position aligns with libertarians who believe in staying out of foreign entanglements. The question here is whether DeSantis’ alliance with Massie will prove to be a liability or an asset in the primaries. It remains to be seen how other GOP candidates will react to this news and what impact this will have on the primaries.