Ahmed Moor, a Gaza-born Palestinian American writer and businessman, announced Monday that he will challenge Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman in the 2028 Democratic primary, becoming the first candidate to enter the race for the seat.
Moor, 42, of West Philadelphia, announced his candidacy in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, which first reported the news. Fetterman, who took office in January 2023 after winning in 2022, has not said whether he will seek reelection; his term ends in January 2029.
Moor, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who has served on the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee, has never held public office. He told the Inquirer he was "not really running against Fetterman" but instead "running for the rule of law," and acknowledged he faces an "uphill battle" as a first-time candidate.
His campaign centers on ending U.S. military aid to Israel and imposing sanctions modeled on the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, which targeted South Africa, until Palestinians achieve equal rights. In his launch announcement he also called for an end to the war in Iran and a "dignity agenda" of free health care, free child care and affordable housing, and said his decision was driven by a series of national crises around corruption, the cost of living, constitutional authority and foreign policy.
Moor was born in Gaza and moved as a child to Philadelphia, where he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has hired Rasha Mubarak, who previously worked on campaigns for Rep. Rashida Tlaib and former Rep. Cori Bush, as finance director, and plans to campaign in all 67 Pennsylvania counties.
The challenge comes less than a week after the November 3 midterm elections, in which Democrats retook the Senate majority. Fetterman has faced sharp criticism from within the Democratic Party for his staunch support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and Moor's bid signals mounting progressive resistance to the incumbent, whose role as a swing vote has diminished with the Democrats' expanded majority.
