New Jersey Democrats Cross Point of No Return With Troubling House Primary Nominee

It's not uncommon for Democrats to pick someone with known terrorist sympathies to represent them in Congress, as we've seen, for example, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and pretty much every member of the infamous Democrat Socialist Congressional Squad - otherwise known as the Hamas Caucus.

Relatedly, there's also communist pro-Hamas NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is a whole other topic for discussion.

But picking someone who has actually befriended and defended an infamous terrorist in a court of law and who has also done volunteer work for a group with alleged links to Al Qaeda might be a new low in what may be yet another crossing-the-rubicon moment for the modern Democrat Party.

As RedState previously reported, Adam Hamawy was the Democrat frontrunner among the crowded field of 13 Democrats running for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, which is currently represented by retiring Democrat Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman. Hamawy, who is also backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), is a plastic surgeon and served in the U.S. military as an Army Lt. Colonel during the Iraq War. But when one scratches beneath the surface, the details are quite disturbing.

Hamawy has faced persistent criticism from the right for his actions related to the notorious "Blind Sheikh" Omar Abdel-Rahman. In fact, he was a defense witness for Abdel-Rahman at his 1995 terrorism trial:

Under questioning from prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald (who is now representing James Comey), Hamawy testified that Abdel-Rahman “always talked about” jihad.
Fitzgerald: “Did you hear defendant Abdel-Rahman prior to the arrest talk with about how America is the enemy of Islam?”
Hamawy: “Yes.”
Fitzgerald: “And you heard prior to the arrest about how Israel is the enemy of Islam, correct?”
Hamawy: “Yes.”
Fitzgerald: “Did you hear about how Muslims had to do jihad against the enemies of Islam before the arrests in June 1993?”
Hamawy: “Of course. That’s what he always talked about. He talked about jihad, you know.”
In the early 1990s, Hamawy was a loyal follower of the sheikh, even after Abdel-Rahman emerged as a prime suspect in the bombing. “If you need anything, you can just give me a call,” Hamawy told Abdel-Rahman in 1993, just months after the World Trade Center bombing, which left six dead, trial transcripts show.

In 1996, Abdel-Rahman "was convicted of preparing what prosecutors called a ‘war of urban terrorism’ in New York City":

Although there was insufficient evidence to link Abdel Rahman directly to the World Trade Center bombing, in January 1996 he was convicted of preparing what prosecutors called a “war of urban terrorism” in New York City. Under a rarely used Civil War-era seditious conspiracy law, prosecutors proved that the cleric had conspired to “overthrow or put down or destroy by force the Government of the United States.” Abdel Rahman was found guilty of plotting to blow up the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, the United Nations building, and other Manhattan landmarks. He was also linked to the Kahane murder and convicted of trying to orchestrate the assassination of Egyptian Pres. Ḥosnī Mubārak. Abdel Rahman was sentenced to life in prison.

In a May interview with NJ Insider, Hamawy declined to disavow himself from his former association and defense of the now-deceased Abdel-Rahman:

.@HamawyForNJ defense of terrorist mastermind Omar Abdel-Rahman (aka "The Blind Sheikh") — DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS his own testimony at Rahman's 1995 trial in which Hamawy said Rahman talked about "Jihad" nonstop

You can read Hamawy's full testimony here — beginning on page 1576… pic.twitter.com/lRCuQ5W9eK
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) May 8, 2026

There was also this:

Our story of course notes @HamawyforNJ's military service. It also notes that he wouldn't answer our questions about his contacts and activities in Bosnia while volunteering with the Benevolence International Foundation, shuttered as an Al Qaida front.https://t.co/xu5eMMPnPZ https://t.co/6zYoNGBcbe pic.twitter.com/jSOGK89oYI
— Will Bredderman (@WillBredderman) May 27, 2026

Hamawy also broke bread with far-leftist icon Hasan Piker, who said America "deserved 9/11."

Thanks to the 12th Congressional District's Democrat primary voters, Hamawy is now the party's nominee:

Decision Desk HQ projects Adam Hamawy wins the NJ US House 12 Democratic Primary#DecisionMade: 9:20 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yKFVZRGSLX
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 3, 2026

And because the district has far more Democrats than Republicans, he's not just the nominee, he's also the presumptive winner:

Hamawy in November faces Republican Gregg Mele, who has run unsuccessfully for several offices in New Jersey as a Republican and libertarian.
But Hamawy’s victory in the primary is tantamount to winning the general election. There are more than twice as many registered Democrats than Republicans in the district, where Watson Colman won reelection by 25 points in 2024, when Republicans performed more strongly in New Jersey than expected.

Democrat House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) has already given him a warm welcome:

Congratulations to Dr. @HamawyForNJ on a hard fought victory tonight.

Welcome to the growing House Democratic Doctor’s Caucus!

Together there is much work to do to lower the high cost of living and fix our broken healthcare system. pic.twitter.com/C9KGtAYuWE
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) June 3, 2026

In addition to Hamawy’s primary victory, current polling shows Democrats are championing Nazi tattoo guy Graham Platner in Maine for Senate, and pro-Hamas Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. And the especially scary thing about it is that Democrat "leaders" like Jeffries and Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who keep lecturing about alleged "extremism" on the right, don't seem to care and, in some cases, are even embracing them, as noted above.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

Help RedState continue to report on the Democrats’ radicalism and inform voters as our nation faces a crossroads. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.