NY-07: Pro-Palestinian PAL PAC endorses Claire Valdez (D) for Congress
The Peace, Accountability and Leadership PAC is endorsing Assembly Member Claire Valdez for congress on Tuesday, her campaign told City & State. The group known as PAL PAC was formed last month with the goal of counterbalancing the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other pro-Israel political groups.
And while the new political action committee hasn’t yet proven its influence, or its fundraising ability, the endorsement emphasizes how Valdez is hoping to leverage her outspoken and unequivocal support for Gaza and the West Bank and her criticism of Israel, a cornerstone of her campaign. Valdez is seeking to replace the retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez in a district spanning North Brooklyn and western Queens and facing two other progressive opponents in the Democratic primary, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and New York City Council Member Julie Won.
A committed member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, Valdez began calling for a ceasefire almost immediately after Israel launched an assault on Gaza in retaliation for Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and she was arrested last year outside U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand’s offices while protesting Israel’s military actions. Like DSA’s other Socialists in Office, she was quick to label Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide and to criticize the Biden administration for its complicity.
Valdez is also a co-sponsor of the Not on Our Dime bill – legislation originally introduced by then-Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani that would allow the state attorney general’s office to strip charities of their nonprofit status if they facilitate illegal occupations in the West Bank or war crimes in Gaza. She supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel and has called for the U.S. to cut off all military aid to the country. At her campaign launch party, she was introduced by Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia student who was detained by federal immigration authorities for his involvement in pro-Palestinian protests.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2026/03/pro-palestinian-pal-pac-endorses-claire-valdez-congress/412325/?oref=csny-skybox-hp