The 2024 election brought mixed outcomes for Democrats, with President-elect Donald Trump narrowly defeating Vice President Kamala Harris and Republicans securing control of both the Senate and House of Representatives. However, progressive Democrats celebrated the reelection of prominent Squad members, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
While their victories buoyed the left wing of the Democratic Party, far-right Republican Randy Fine, who is running for Florida’s 6th Congressional District in a special election, targeted Tlaib and Omar with a threatening post on X (formerly Twitter). Fine wrote, “The ‘Hebrew Hammer’ is coming. @RashidaTlaib and @IlhanMN might consider leaving before I get there. #BombsAway.”
The incendiary remark has drawn sharp criticism, particularly as it aligns with Fine’s history of Islamophobic rhetoric. According to The New Republic’s Robert McCoy, Fine has a troubling track record of inflammatory statements against Muslims and Palestinians. McCoy noted, “Tlaib and Omar are two of just three Muslim members of Congress, and the only two Muslim women.
Fine has a history of using demeaning rhetoric against Muslims and Palestinians and trafficking in Islamophobic tropes.” Examples of Fine’s controversial comments include his claim that “we have a Muslim problem in America” and his assertion that “while many Muslims are not terrorists, they are the radicals, not the mainstream.”
His past conduct has also prompted formal complaints. In 2021, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed a complaint against Fine with the Florida House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee. The complaint alleged Fine encouraged violence by urging constituents to “run over people at Palestinian advocacy protests” and “called for the annihilation of the Palestinian people.”
He also allegedly told a Floridian to “blow yourself up” via a direct message. Fine is campaigning for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Michael Waltz, whom Trump has tapped to serve as national security adviser. His inflammatory remarks have cast a shadow over his campaign, raising concerns about escalating Islamophobia and threats directed at Muslim members of Congress. Despite the threats and divisive rhetoric, Tlaib and Omar remain steadfast, continuing to advocate for progressive policies and champion their communities in Congress.