Mai Vang, a member of the Sacramento City Council who is running in California’s 7th Congressional District, plans to appearing in early October on a fundraising stream with antisemitic podcaster Hasan Piker, Politico reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Vang, who is challenging Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), states on her campaign website that there is a “genocide in Palestine” and that “in 2024, while Doris was cashing checks from AIPAC, I was in City Hall passing Sacramento’s ceasefire resolution.”
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee endorsed Matsui in 2024, but she doesn’t appear on AIPAC’s list of 2026 endorsements. (JNS sought comment from the Vang campaign.)
In an April candidate forum, Matsui accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being a “war criminal” and said that she is against providing “offensive dollars” to Israel. She also called for a two-state solution.
Vang placed first in California’s June top-two primary with 65,617 votes (31.2%). Matsui came in second with 61,114 votes (29.1%), according to the Associated Press. Under California’s open primary system, the candidates with the two higher vote counts advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
