Michigan state senator and congressional candidate Jeremy Moss called a viral audio clip claiming he said his campaign’s purpose is to ensure U.S. support for Israel “manipulated” and “unsourced,” characterizing it as part of a dangerous pattern of disinformation targeting Jewish Americans.
The audio was originally posted on X (formerly Twitter) on July 21 by Aisha Farooqi, Moss’s primary opponent in the race for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. In the clip, a voice alleged to be Moss says the “entire purpose” of his campaign is to ensure continued American support for Israel and that “America is not our homeland.”
Moss responded by stating the recording contains statements he “never did and never would say.” He argued the audio was designed to portray him as anti-American and accused his critics of promoting what he called “offensive tropes and lies,” specifically the “lie of dual loyalty suggesting that Jews are never fully citizens of or loyal to their country.”
In a statement to the media, Moss said he is “a proud Michigander” born in Detroit who grew up in Oakland County and won’t “stand for people using lies to diminish my American story.” He described the current political environment as “a dangerous era of disinformation” and called on the public to reject false claims regardless of political affiliation.
Moss won the Democratic primary on August 4, 2026, with 49.2% of the vote, defeating attorney Aisha Farooqi and two other candidates. He is Michigan’s only Jewish state senator and the first openly gay member of the Michigan Senate. The seat he is seeking was being vacated by Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who is running for the U.S. Senate.
Moss has centered his congressional campaign on voting rights, democracy, opposing the Trump administration, and addressing healthcare costs. He has also advocated for dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and described his record of taking on establishment figures as key to his candidacy.
Republican Troy Mayor Ethan Baker, the GOP candidate in the race, said Moss should have the opportunity to explain what he meant in the recording, but added that “someone who is running for U.S. Congress should limit their sole purpose to one issue” because that’s not how to best represent all people in the district.
Sources
- The Detroit News — reported Moss’s statement that the audio clip was “manipulated” and part of a “troubling and quite frankly dangerous” pattern
- Daily Caller — provided details of the audio clip’s content, the July 21 posting date, Farooqi’s role in releasing it, and Moss’s full response statement
- Ballotpedia — confirmed Moss won the August 4, 2026, Democratic primary with 49.2% of the vote
- CBS News Detroit — verified Moss’s primary victory and that he faces Republican Ethan Baker in the general election
