Texas Democratic Candidate Comments on Zionists

A Democratic candidate running in next week's primary for Texas' 35th Congressional District is facing widespread condemnation after posting comments on social media that called for turning an immigration detention center into a prison for American Zionists.

Maureen Galindo, a sex therapist, advanced to the runoff against Johnny Garcia after no candidate reached 50 percent in the initial primary round. The district covers parts of San Antonio and surrounding areas.

In an Instagram post last week, Galindo wrote that she would turn the Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking. The post also referred to the facility as a castration processing center for pedophiles.

Galindo wrote that when she gets into Congress she will write legislation so that all Zionism and support of Zionism is undoubtedly anti-Semitic. Her posts also included attacks on billionaire Zionists and suggestions that Zionist-associated candidates deserve treason trials.

“I never said I wanted to use an internment camp. Literally never said it. In a social media video posted Thursday, she blamed journalists for mischaracterizing her comments and said she has received threats and hate mail. She accused an unnamed journalist of inventing the phrase internment camp and said the journalist literally wants her dead. Galindo also accused her Democratic runoff challenger of being paid to put Jews and Mexicans in concentration camps via Zionist trafficking networks. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Galindo's comments were extremely dangerous and vile and have no place in Democratic politics. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called Galindo's comments bigoted garbage and antisemitism.”

They point to Lead Left PAC, a political action committee founded less than a month ago that has reported more than $800,000 in pro-Galindo and anti-Garcia spending. Lead Left PAC identifies itself as an anti-Trump organization. Punchbowl News reported that its website contained metadata linking it to WinRed, a digital fundraising platform used by Republican candidates.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday that he did not know the candidate existed and called the comments a perfect example of where the Democratic Party is going. Garcia said in a video response that Galindo's comments have no place in the Democratic Party or any place in public service.

Republican Carlos De La Cruz wrote on X that the rhetoric is disgusting and has no place in Texas.