Republican congressional nominee Dr. Zuhdi Jasser released a campaign ad portraying his race against Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton as part of a national struggle against socialist and Islamist political movements.
Jasser introduced the ad, titled “Install the Firewall,” in a Sept. 8 post on X, calling for Americans to place a “firewall” in Congress against what he described as growing “Marxist-Islamist” movements and their influence on government.
MUST WATCH!!! 👇🇺🇸.
It’s about time for normal, patriotic Americans to take the offense and “INSTALL THE FIREWALL” in Congress – @DrZuhdiJasser – against the exploding #MarxistIslamist movements and their radicalization of our government. GO TO ==>> https://t.co/uhV3o8DkS6… pic.twitter.com/jAaHs4Ejez
— M. Zuhdi Jasser (@DrZuhdiJasser) September 8, 2026
The 110-second video, paid for by Friends of Dr. Jasser, uses news footage and images of Democratic politicians while asserting that socialist and Islamist candidates have gained ground through Democratic primaries. The ad says the Democratic Party moved leftward and Stanton went “right along with them.”
Jasser then presents himself as the son of Syrian refugees, a physician, Navy veteran, small-business owner, and Muslim reform advocate who has spent his career opposing political Islam.
“Greg Stanton will not stand up to the radical left,” Jasser says in the ad. “But that’s something I’ve done all my life.”
“I’ll be that firewall,” he adds. “I will stand up for all Americans.”
Jasser is a former Navy lieutenant commander who served 11 years as a medical officer, including as a staff internist for the Office of the Attending Physician to Congress. He founded the Phoenix-based American Islamic Forum for Democracy, an organization that advocates separating mosque and state and opposing political Islam, according to his biography submitted to Congress.
His parents fled Syria’s Ba’athist government in the 1960s. Jasser later served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom from 2012 through 2016, including two terms as vice chairman, according to the American Islamic Forum for Democracy.
Jasser expanded on the ad’s argument in an interview with The Washington Times, describing an emerging group of socialist and Islamist Democratic candidates as a “red-green farm team.”
He cited Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Adam Hamawy in New Jersey, and California Rep. Aisha Wahab (D-CA-14) as examples of candidates Jasser believes combine left-wing economic policies with Islamist political views. The Times reported that it contacted all three for comment.
Jasser called Stanton “socialist adjacent” and “Islamist adjacent,” pointing to the congressman’s votes on taxes and transgender participation in women’s sports and his appearances with progressive Democratic lawmakers.
“He may vote with Israel but has never been able to prosecute the case against the radicals in his own party,” Jasser told the Times.
The Times reported that Stanton has consistently supported military and security assistance to Israel, endorsed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas and received support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stanton has also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and condemned violence committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Stanton is a leadership member of the New Democrat Coalition, which describes its 114 members as “forward-thinking Democrats” committed to pro-economic growth, innovation and fiscally responsible policies. He also chairs the coalition’s campaign organization.
Stanton defeated progressive challenger Kai Newkirk with 62.18 percent of the vote in Arizona’s July Democratic primary, according to the state’s official canvass. Jasser received 39,431 votes in the Republican primary.
The two candidates are competing in Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes parts of Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa and Chandler. Stanton was first elected to Congress in 2018 after serving as mayor of Phoenix from 2012 through 2018, according to the U.S. House historian.
Jasser previously sought the Republican nomination for the district in 2024 but finished behind Kelly Cooper. Stanton defeated Cooper in the general election.
Stanton entered the final months of the 2026 campaign with a financial advantage. Federal Election Commission summaries ending July 1 showed Stanton with approximately $2.02 million in cash on hand and Jasser with approximately $341,651.
The Arizona Republican Party subsequently promoted Jasser’s campaign in a separate Sept. 15 post featuring an excerpt from the candidates’ recent Arizona PBS discussion. In the video, Jasser said Stanton had been in politics “since the iPod was made.” The party’s accompanying text changed “iPod” to “iPad” and added, “It is time for Greg to go!”
Brutal! @DrZuhdiJasser is right! Greg Stanton has been in politics since before the iPad was introduced on the market.
It is time for Greg to go! https://t.co/qxYUor6xds
— Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) September 15, 2026
The attached exchange concerned health-care costs. Jasser criticized premiums under the Affordable Care Act, while Stanton defended the law’s protections for patients with preexisting conditions. Jasser said he did not favor repealing the law but wanted changes that would make coverage more affordable, according to Arizona PBS.
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