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A former U.S. Army<\/span> combat surgeon with backing from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, streamer Hasan Piker, and an anti-AIPAC super PAC won a New Jersey primary on Tuesday despite last-minute negative attacks.<\/p>\n Adam Hamawy beat a crowded field of Democrats in the state\u2019s 12th Congressional District. The winner of the primary is expected to coast to victory over Republican Gregg Mele in the November general election.<\/p>\n His victory came despite a flurry of right-wing media reports that sought to tarnish the progressive candidate as an Islamic extremist because of his 1995 trial testimony for a religious leader convicted of plotting terror attacks.<\/p>\n Hamawy said he was being targeted with outdated \u201ctropes\u201d as a Muslim in politics. His campaign, which was supercharged by an ad campaign from the independent super PAC American Priorities, demonstrated the growing influence of pro-Palestine donors in contested Democratic primaries.<\/p>\n Hamawy stood out among the 13 candidates in the race vying to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman because of his compelling backstory and the large ad spend on his behalf by American Priorities, the super PAC founded to counter AIPAC\u2019s influence in Democratic politics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Working as a combat surgeon in Iraq in 2004, Hamawy helped save the life<\/a> of Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., when her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, which led to the loss of both her legs. In 2024, he also went to Gaza to provide medical aid to Palestinians wounded by Israeli forces and was temporarily trapped there<\/a> after Israel closed the Rafah border crossing. When the crossing was reopened, Hamawy was among a small group who refused to leave on demands that more medical workers be let in<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pointing to his experience as a physician, Hamawy staked out policy positions that included support for Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and opposing military aid to Israel. He drew endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, and the Sunrise Movement, in addition to Ocasio-Cortez.<\/p>\n In a joint statement, two progressive, pro-Palestine groups hailed Hamawy\u2019s win. The Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project and Justice Democrats said they spent a combined $200,000 in support of his campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cVoters were drawn to Dr. Hamawy\u2019s candidacy because he knows firsthand the reality of Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza like few do \u2014 having worked to save the lives of Palestinian children under bombardment and unimaginable conditions,\u201d the groups wrote. \u201cHis experience is necessary in Congress now more than ever, as too many of the people meant to represent us continue to look the other way while our tax dollars fund injustices here and abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Trailing Hamawy was East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, a centrist with the backing of his county party who ran as a pro-Israel candidate.<\/a><\/p>\n Hamawy competed for the progressive vote against <\/strong>Sue Altman, a longtime activist in New Jersey who served until recently as the state director for Democratic Sen. Andy Kim. Her endorsements included former Sen. Bill Bradley and the New Jersey Working Families Party<\/a>, which she previously led from 2019 to 2023. She ran far behind Hamawy.<\/p>\n Hamawy\u2019s win was a notable accomplishment for American Priorities, which only launched in February<\/a>. The group\u2019s first major pick, Nida Allam, fell just short of toppling<\/a> incumbent Democratic Rep. Valerie Foushee in North Carolina. It had better luck in Pennsylvania, where progressive state Rep. Chris Rabb won<\/a> his district\u2019s Democratic primary last month.<\/p>\n