Pro-Palestine activist wins mayoral Democratic primary in Rhode Island

David Morales is all but guaranteed the office in the deeply liberal capital Providence Democratic candidate for mayor in Providence, Rhode Island, David Morales, addresses supporters in an undated photo at a labour union rally organised by the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (David Morales campaign) Published date: 10 September 2026 22:15 BST | Last update: 7 sec ago A vocal Israel critic and supporter of Palestinian rights has won the Democratic mayoral primary in America's smallest state. Rhode Island State Representative David Morales, 27, unseated the incumbent mayor of the capital, Providence, on Wednesday and is now likely to become the youngest mayor in the city's history come November. Morales's budget was less than a quarter of that spent by his opponent, Brett Smiley. Rhode Island is a deep blue liberal state that is all but certain to vote Democrats into office. Morales, a self-described Democratic Socialist, is endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders' 2016 run for president inspired Morales to seek political office, and he won a seat in the Rhode Island legislature at the age of 22, his campaign website said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters He modelled his campaign on that of New York City mayor and progressive kingmaker, Zohran Mamdani, using viral social media videos to address residents and their most pressing problems. Morales also employed consistent message discipline and focused on affordability issues. "What is the Democratic Party if not its voters?" Mamdani said of Morales' win on Thursday. "From coast to coast, Americans are clear: No more status quo politics. We want real change," Sanders wrote on X. Israel affect As in much of the rest of the country over the past year, Israel became a focal point of this relatively small-town race. Survey finds 60 percent of Americans view Israel unfavourably following Iran war Read More » Morales went after Smiley for his advisory position with the group, Combat Antisemitism Movement, which is vehemently pro-Israel. Support for Israel among Democratic voters, especially those under 25, has dropped dramatically since Israel began its genocide in Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel three years ago. "David has been in the streets with the Palestinian rights movement for years... He has consistently called for an end to US support for apartheid and genocide," the advocacy group, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), said in a statement. "David proudly endorsed an upcoming city ballot initiative to cut an estimated $2.5 million in investments in Israel and other countries committing genocide. This will be the first legally binding divestment vote in US history." That undertaking led the Jewish Insider news outlet to suggest the "subtext" of such legislation was antisemitic. But the enthusiasm for the Rhode Island primary election mirrored that of Michigan and New York, among others, where a record-breaking number of voters cast their ballots in early voting. The upcoming midterm elections on 3 November, which will decide who assumes power across local and congressional offices, are seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump and the direction in which he has taken the country. The Rhode Island Current reported that 37,444 early, in-person ballots were cast by close of business on Tuesday, which is more than double the 16,900 early, in-person ballots cast in 2022, and three times as many as the 12,100 early ballots cast before the 2024 primary. There are just under 200,000 residents in Providence, according to the last US census conducted in 2020. "David is our 16th endorsed candidate to win the Democratic nomination this cycle. Our Palestine champions have been winning up and down the ballot – from city government, to state legislature, to the House of Representatives, to the Senate," JVP said. Morales will now face Republican David Talan in the midterm elections. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.