Virginia Delegate Candidate Shelly Arnoldi Faces Condemnation Over "Move to Israel" Remark to Jewish Congresswoman

Shelly Arnoldi, a Republican candidate for Virginia’s House of Delegates in District 16, has drawn widespread condemnation for a social media comment directed at Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.), a Jewish member of Congress. Arnoldi told Representative Wexton to “move to Israel” in a post on October 17, sparking accusations of antisemitism and xenophobia. The comment was made in response to Representative Wexton's public statement expressing support for Israel following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

The controversial remark quickly garnered attention, with the organization StopAntisemitism highlighting the incident on social media, stating: > "Shelly Arnoldi, a candidate for Virginia state delegate in District 16, tells a Jewish member of Congress to 'move to Israel' despite the representative being a U.S. citizen." Critics emphasized the problematic nature of telling a U.S. citizen, particularly a Jewish one, to leave the country, underscoring the xenophobic undertones.

Representative Wexton, who represents Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, has been open about her Jewish heritage and her support for Israel. The Democratic congresswoman announced in September that she would not seek re-election due to a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disorder. Her initial post, which prompted Arnoldi's comment, underscored her solidarity with Israel during a period of heightened conflict.

The incident has been widely criticized by various groups and political commentators. Josh Block, a former spokesperson for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), described the remark as a "disgusting, antisemitic trope" that suggests Jews do not have a right to reside in America. This sentiment reflects broader concerns about the rise of antisemitic rhetoric in political discourse and its impact on public figures.

Shelly Arnoldi is campaigning for the District 16 seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Her campaign has not yet issued a comprehensive statement directly addressing the backlash or clarifying the intent behind her comment. The controversy highlights the intense scrutiny political candidates face regarding their public statements, especially concerning sensitive geopolitical and identity-based issues, and the immediate consequences of such remarks.