Senate Races Are Roiled By Campus Protests

May 5, 2024 5:53 am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The student protest movement over the war in Gaza is roiling Senate contests in an election year when control of the chamber is at stake in November. Democrats are treading cautiously over an internal divide about the campus demonstrations while Republicans are playing up their rivals’ disagreements. GOP candidates have used the protests to step up their criticism of President Joe Biden, both for how he’s handled the war and for the unrest on campuses. Many Democrats have tried to avoid taking sides in protests that have divided important parts of their base. They’re trying to balance criticism of antisemitism and rule-breakers with the need to protect the right to peaceful protest.