Stamford Democrat loses primary after saying Jew can't represent district

A Connecticut Democrat lost her primary race on Tuesday after stating that a candidate of Jewish origin could not represent the Hispanic community, according to the Stamford Democratic City Committee (SDCC).

Jonathan Jacobson won almost 63% of the vote in the Democratic Primary vote for the 148th State House District, beating Anabel Figueroa, according to unofficial results posted by the committee and the Connecticut Secretary of the State.

Figueroa loss came the same day SDCC Executive Board issued a statement calling on her to resign from her positions as District 8 SDCC member and Board of Representative member after making derogatory comments about Jacobson's Jewish background. The SDCC said that Figueroa made antisemitic language during a July 28 Hispanic International Show interview.

“The Hispanic vote is going to determine on August 13th who will win to represent or who will continue to represent you. We cannot permit a person who is of Jewish origin, of Jewish origin, to represent our community. It’s impossible,” Figueroa said, according to the SDCC, in a now-deleted video.

The SDCC said that her behavior was "shameful" and that "the use of this blatant antisemitic and anti-democratic language is abhorrent, unacceptable, and contrary to our shared values as Democrats."

Jacobson thanked the SDCC in a Tuesday statement for addressing the rhetoric used by Figueroa.

Democrats speak out

"I entered the race for State Representative, 148th district because I’m drawn to doing the work that makes people’s lives better. I believe good government can do great things, and that our elected officials must hold themselves to the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and accountability," Jacobson said on Instagram. "These are the principles I hold myself to every day. I will always condemn hate speech and bigotry, especially when it comes from an elected official. Silence is complicity."

Figueroa on Monday had condemned another statement about Jacobson's background by another SDCC member, who is also one of her supporters, according to the SDCC.

Eva Padilla, in a now-deleted Facebook post, described Jonathan as an "Israeli lawyer" who was slandering the state's Latino community and wanted to steal their vote and their representation.

SDCC Chair Robin Druckman and Vice Chair Lauren Meyer condemned Padilla on Monday for using an antisemitic trope.

"Divisive, demeaning, and derogatory language of any kind, be it antisemitism, racism, bigotry, homophobia, or misogyny, has no place in our community or in the Democratic Party, and it does not represent our shared values or beliefs. Our discourse and debate about any candidate running for office should always be focused on the policies and qualifications of that candidate. Discriminatory language should never be used or tolerated, and it’s up to each of us to call out and condemn that language if we see it," said the SDCC leaders. "At a time when Democrats have united across the country to fight for our democracy and to protect the rights and freedoms of all of us, this shameful behavior by one of our own stands out as an example of the worst rather than the very best of Democrats.”