The Political Horseshoe of Conspiratorial Antisemitism
The “horseshoe theory” observes that extremist movements claiming to be polar opposites often have a great deal in common. That commonality becomes truly dangerous — capable of destroying societies — when it creeps beyond the extremes to pollute the political mainstream. American politics is heading there quickly, as growing swathes of left and right embrace conspiratorial antisemitism.
Events of the past few weeks portend a four-alarm fire in America’s very near future:
On the left, conspiratorial antisemitism handed Zohran Mamdani the Democratic nomination to become New York City’s next Mayor. In the days since his victory, much of the attention has focused on his self-avowed socialism. That’s understandable. Economic policies set to devastate America’s greatest city will cause enormous pain.
But Mamdani didn’t win because he’s a socialist. The left hasn’t organized around economics since 2011’s Occupy Wall Street. What motivates today’s young, college-educated activists — the core of Mamdani’s support and the volunteers that powered his campaign — is identity politics.
From 2013 in Ferguson through the George Floyd race riots of 2020, they organized to combat an alleged plague of racist cops rendering American cities unlivable for people of color. Since Oct. 7, 2023, their organizing theme has shifted to conspiratorial antisemitism, opposing Jews and the Jewish State as apex oppressors in the intersectional struggle for justice — adopting the very worst of campus antisemitism.
For the past two years, the left’s primary slogans (“Globalize the intifada!” “From the river to the sea!”) and symbols (PLO flag, Hamas headband, keffiyeh) have been as pro-genocide as the swastika. Mamdani, who chants those slogans and displays those symbols proudly, rode the energy of antisemitic protests to his party’s nomination.
Of course, Mamdani insists that he has no problem with Jews — just with Zionists. That’s a dodge that many of the deeply ignorant protestors may believe, but leaders like Mamdani know better. He’s been a force in antisemitic politics since at least his college days — when he founded a chapter of the terror-supporting Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). His path to power was the intersectionally antisemitic Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Whatever else Mamdani may bring to the table as a candidate, his political roots and core appeal rest in conspiratorial antisemitism.
On the right, we’ve witnessed the bizarre spectacle of prominent, allegedly “America First” voices — including Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie — opposing any steps that might cripple or topple the virulently anti-American regime in Iran. They cannot fathom why anyone truly interested in America would cheer the collapse of the leading state sponsor of terror — a regime that has acted against American interests around the world since seizing power in 1979, seeded our own country with sleeper cells, and called for President Trump’s assassination.
The only reason they can conjure is that Israel and neocons — not Jews, of course — are pushing the U.S. to invade and occupy yet another Middle Eastern country. Yet no one — not a single person of any consequence in Israel, the U.S., or elsewhere — advocates that position.
In point of fact, a U.S. ally bore most of the expense and all of the risk to eliminate a global nuclear threat and weaken an anti-American revolutionary regime. It sought limited, carefully targeted support that only the U.S. could provide. It’s hard to think of a foreign policy more deserving of the name “America first.”
Meanwhile, Israeli, American, and Iranian voices hoping for regime change have all been urging elements of the regime to stand against its leaders, free the people, and usher in a new era — a coup, not an invasion. The only place that advocacy for invasion and occupation ever existed was the fever dreams of conspiracy theorists eager to vanquish the Jewish straw man.
Is the horseshoe real? Carlson and Greene fully understand Mamdani’s appeal despite disliking his socialist economics because they all agree that Jews are skewing America’s political debate. Why aren’t our urban politicians focused on urban issue? Jews. Why do we care if the Iranian regime stands, falls, possesses nukes or launches missiles? Jews. If it weren’t for Jews, our leaders would focus where America needs them to focus.
These antisemitic movements of left and right exhibit more than mere distaste for Jews. They’re conspiratorial. And that’s what makes them deadly. Societies can survive bigotry. Societies can’t survive conspiracism.
The path is well traveled: If Jews are the problem, sideline the Jews. When things only get worse, the problem must be sympathizers (Eric Adams? Ted Cruz? Donald Trump?) carrying Jewish water. When sidelining them makes things still worse, the hidden Jews must be controlling events from the shadows. By that point, everyone has become a suspect.
Conspiratorial antisemitism is an organizing theme for a society entering a death spiral. It’s bad enough that it’s been driving the Democratic Party — a critically important American institution — for the past two years. From left and right, it’s now surging towards power.
If we don’t arrest it soon, the American future will be bleak. Of course, the Jews will be hit hardest and first. And in the minds of conspiratorial antisemites, that makes it all worthwhile.
*Bruce Abramson is a senior administrator at New College of Florida and a Fellow of the Coalition for America. His books include The New Civil War (RealClearPublishing, 2021) and most recently, American Spirit or Great Awokening? (Academica Press, 2024).