In Wednesday night’s Republican presidential-primary debate — the last before Monday’s Iowa caucus — former United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley referenced a point she’s hit on quite often over the past few months: Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s relationship with Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.).
DeSantis and Massie have traversed Iowa together in the run-up to the Hawkeye State’s caucus, and Massie’s record on Israel and on antisemitism directly contradict much of the governor’s rhetoric; he has stridently supported Israel over the course of the campaign.
On the debate stage Wednesday night, Haley went after DeSantis from point-blank range, saying that he brought “the most anti-Israel Republican” to stump with him, noting that Massie “went and voted against Israel’s right to exist in Congress” and joined the “Squad” in opposing a bill against antisemitism on college campuses. DeSantis did not offer a response to the line of questioning, on which moderator Jake Tapper followed up before the Florida governor brushed it away.
In the past, DeSantis has argued that Massie is simply opposed to foreign aid, but a look at the congressman’s record demonstrates that this may not be the case. Massie’s opposition to congressional action concerning Israel and antisemitism began long before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. He was the only Republican in the House to vote against a 2019 resolution condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement that seeks to drive a wedge between American industry and Israel, the only member of the lower chamber of either party to oppose a 2022 resolution condemning rising antisemitism in the U.S., and the only member of the GOP to vote against a 2023 resolution honoring the U.S.–Israel relationship and “encouraging the expansion and strengthening of the Abraham Accords.”
Since October 7, Massie has continued to be a reliable anti-Israel vote in the House. He was one of ten members of Congress — and the only Republican — to oppose an October 25 resolution affirming the U.S.’s support for Israel and its operations against Hamas in Gaza. He was the only Republican to vote against a bill that would impose sanctions against terrorist organizations. Massie was one of 23 members and the only GOP congressman to oppose a resolution condemning support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah at American universities. He was the only member of Congress to vote against a resolution reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and a bill that would require the president to impose sanctions on Iranian funds believed to be used for terrorism. More recently, Massie voted against two resolutions condemning antisemitism, one focusing on hatred of Jews around the world and another on college campuses. Both times, he was the only Republican to do so.
On December 5, Massie posted a meme on X arguing that Zionism and American patriotism are mutually exclusive, echoing the “dual-loyalty” charges that people like Representative Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) have leveled against Jewish supporters of Israel in the U.S.
Haley wrote on X Wednesday night that “Ron DeSantis brought the person who tweeted this disgusting meme to Iowa to campaign with him,” and her campaign told National Review that the Florida governor’s association with Massie is a problem.
“Ron DeSantis needs to explain to Iowa voters why he campaigns with the most anti-Israel Republican in Congress who votes to undermine Israel and foster antisemitism,” Haley spokesperson Nachama Soloveichik told NR. “DeSantis had that opportunity last night, but he didn’t take it. In contrast, Nikki Haley will always have Israel’s back.”
The DeSantis campaign, for its part, pushed back against these criticisms in an email to NR.
“Nikki Haley is just trying to distract from her record of inviting Gaza refugees to the U.S. and supporting U.S. tax dollars going to the Gaza Strip,” press secretary Bryan Griffin wrote. “Ron DeSantis has been the clearest, most consistent pro-Israel candidate in this race. He has unequivocally supported Israel in exterminating Hamas, passed the strongest anti-Iran legislation of any state in a special session in November, and jumped into action to bring Americans home from Israel who were stranded by Joe Biden.”
Most of that is true, but NR previously reported on the allegations of Haley’s desire to bring Gazan refugees into the U.S. That claim was based on an interview Haley gave to CNN’s Jake Tapper in which the former South Carolina governor argued that it is possible for American policy-makers to draw a distinction between Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians.
Friday morning, Massie appeared on CNN News Central with Kate Bolduan, who asked him about his opposition to a resolution holding that denying Israel’s right to exist is a form of antisemitism. Rather than explicitly address Bolduan’s questions, Massie came right up to the edge of insulting the host’s intelligence (perhaps stepping over that line), saying, “Congratulations, you’re able to read the name” of the resolution. As one can read online, the resolution is quite short and includes nothing particularly inflammatory — its content includes such affirmations as rejecting “calls for Israel’s destruction and the elimination of the only Jewish State” and condemning “the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel.”
Given DeSantis’s support for Israel in its response to the October 7 attack, it is curious that he would tie himself so strongly to a member of Congress whose votes and statements could be mistaken for those of Omar, Representative Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), or Representative Cori Bush (D., Mo.).