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The progressive operative nudging Democrats toward a hostile line on Israel

JL;DR SUMMARY Morris Katz, a young progressive strategist, is making waves in Democratic political circles with his aggressive stance on Israel, which he views as an apartheid state. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

U.S. Israel RelationsProgressive PoliticsDemocratic PartyAipacMiddle East PolicyElection StrategyMorris KatzGraham Platner

Places mentioned

North Carolina, United States
"In 2022, he worked on the House campaign of Erica Smith in North Carolina, where she was defeated thanks in part to outside spending from AIPACs super PAC, an effort Katz characterized as sinister and bad faith."
Maine, United States
"the scandal-plagued Maine Democrat whose masculine image, gravelly voice and status as a Marine veteran aptly embodies the sort of rough-hewn features that Katz insists are well suited to energize voter turnout"
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
"Earlier this week, Platner notched a high-profile endorsement from Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who called the Maine oyster farmer the only candidate capable of defeating Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)"
Michigan, United States
"it is also working with one unexpected candidate, Tom Steyer, the billionaire businessman and former presidential contender now seeking the Democratic nomination in Californias crowded race for governor."
California, United States
"it is also working with one unexpected candidate, Tom Steyer, the billionaire businessman and former presidential contender now seeking the Democratic nomination in Californias crowded race for governor."
Iowa, United States
"Earlier this month, for instance, one of his clients, Nathan Sage, a scruffy Democrat who was competing for an open Senate seat in Iowa, announced that he was ending his campaign, citing a lack of fundraising."
New York City, New York, United States
"Morris Katz rose to political fame last year as a top advisor to Mamdani, who drew some criticism for speaking with Piker and whose disinterest in visiting Israel is a notable exception to every New York City mayor over the past 75 years, who all traveled to the Jewish state"
Brooklyn, New York, United States
"More recently, Katz has worked for Brad Lander, the former New York City comptroller challenging Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), a pro-Israel Democrat who is defending a heavily Jewish House seat that includes parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan."
Queens, New York, United States
"In addition to Lander, Katz is now advising Claire Valdez, an anti-Israel state assemblywoman who is competing in a hotly contested Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velzquez (D-NY) in a safely blue district covering Brooklyn and Queens."
Lower Manhattan, New York, United States
"Katz, who is Jewish and grew up in a wealthy neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, has attributed his jaundiced view of Israel to the pro-Israel group AIPAC, which he called the main accelerator that radicalized me in an interview with Haaretz last November."
Pennsylvania, United States
"Until Mamdani, Katzs most consequential work had included advising on the Senate campaigns of Dan Osborne, an independent from Nebraska who lost his race, and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who has disappointed his former progressive backers for promoting staunchly pro-Israel stances since taking office."

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Retrieved 2026-03-07 05:31:00 UTC
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