An early test for Democrats’ anti-ICE messaging: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the political officea daily newsletter bringing you the latest reporting and analysis from the NBC News Politics team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.

In today’s edition, Bridget Bowman dives into a key battle for the Democratic message in Illinois ahead of tomorrow’s primaries. Plus, Ben Kamisar details some new numbers from our latest NBC News poll regarding Israel.

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—Adam Wollner

A first test for Democrats’ anti-ICE messages

By Bridget Bowman

Anti-ICE messages dominated the final stretch of the controversial open Democratic Senate primary in Illinois. Two-thirds of TV ads in the final month of the race mentioned ICE, according to ad tracking company AdImpact.

It’s also spread elsewhere as the midterm election cycle gets underway: Nearly a quarter of all Democratic campaign television ads across the country in the past month have referenced the immigration agency.

representative Raja Krishnamoorthilieutenant governor. Juliana Stratton and Rep. Robin Kelly have each held slightly different positions within the agency in the race to replace the outgoing senator. Dick Durbin. Krishnamoorthi spoke of reforms and called for abolishing “Trump’s ICE.” Stratton took a simpler line: “abolish ICE.” And Kelly says she wants to “dismantle” ICE.

The focus on ICE comes amid a broad backlash over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown following stepped-up measures in cities including Chicago, Los Angeles and Minneapolis. The campaign is also a first test of whether the problem persists, even if federal agents suspend some operations. The Democrats say so.

“Fighting ICE has become synonymous with opposing and fighting back against Trump,” said Brandon Davisa Democratic consultant who worked on Chicago’s mayor Brandon Johnson‘s successful 2023 campaign.

What the candidates say: Krishnamoorthi told NBC News in an interview that his closing message ahead of tomorrow’s primary came after facing attacks from his primary opponent, Stratton, for accepting campaign donations from a top executive at Palantir, a software company and ICE contractor.

“One important fact that she forgets to mention is that I’m an immigrant. I’m the only immigrant of that race,” Krishnamoorthi said, later adding, “When ICE terrorizes a community, when they racially profile people of color, I say, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ This could be me.

Stratton’s first television ad, which included beeping expletives aimed at the president, also touted her call to “abolish ICE.” Stratton noted in an interview that the community was still reeling from the Chicago-area crackdown last year, known as Operation Midway Blitz, in which officers shot two people and about 1,600 people were arrested.

“People’s fear didn’t go away just because one day they packed their bags and said, ‘OK, Operation Midway Blitz, we’re going to put a pause on it,'” Stratton said. “People are still afraid and still worried. »

Kelly said in an interview that Operation Midway Blitz affected his congressional district, which stretches from Chicago’s South Side into rural areas of the state. In one such incident, a helicopter landed on a building and dozens of immigrants were arrested.

“It was absolutely horrible,” Kelly said. One of its first television commercials about the race featured images of Renee Bonne And Alex Prettithe two Minnesotans killed by federal agents in January.

Read more →

Poll: Israel’s position collapses among Democrats, fueling left-wing primaries

By Ben Kamisar

American voters’ feelings toward Israel and the Palestinian territories have changed dramatically in recent years, in a sea change that is transforming the Democratic Party.

A new poll from NBC News highlights the depth of this shift. More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively, a change from a few years ago. The shift has been particularly pronounced among independents and Democrats, fueling divided congressional primaries in 2026 and likely to shape the party’s 2028 presidential campaign.

When asked whether their sympathies are more with the Israelis or the Palestinians, 40% of registered voters say they side more with the Israelis, while 39% choose the Palestinians. The split was 45% Israelis and 13% Palestinians when NBC News asked the question more than a decade ago, in November 2013.

But while two-thirds of Republicans side with the Israelis, as in 2013, two-thirds of Democrats now side with the Palestinians.