Far-Left Congressional Candidate Forced To Address Prior Remarks Slamming Black Democrats

The Democrat Party’s parade of leftist candidates throughout this election season has been the source of endless headlines in recent months.

But the controversy surrounding William Lawrence, a U.S. House candidate in Michigan, adds a new wrinkle to the tension among Democrats about the direction of the party.

As The Hill reported:

The Huffington Post on Saturday published Lawrence’s comments from a 2024 episode of his podcast, in which the Democrat accused some Black lawmakers of being “a pillar, frankly, for establishment, capitalist, imperialist American power.”

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“It’s a big problem for left politics in this country, and it gets us every single time,” Lawrence said in the episode. “It really defangs the white left and puts us in impossible positions, really.”

The Democratic candidate addressed this comment in a social media statement on Saturday, saying his words were “taken out of context.”

“The way I made this point was clumsy, and I regret my choice of words,” he said. “I understand the potential impact when received out of context. The way the story is being reported does not reflect my beliefs.”

Here’s his full statement:

I want to address a comment of mine from two years ago that was reported today in the Huffington Post and has raised some concern. My words are being taken out of context and weaponized by my political opponents, and I want to set the record straight.

In 2024 I hosted a podcast series examining the disastrous history of US war and interventionism abroad, and how we can change it. This was prompted by my horror at the genocide in Gaza, which was and is supported by US weapons and tax dollars. Saying no to war is one of the core reasons for my run for Congress.

The episode reported today was an interview with a Black anti-war organizer about his vital work to organize Black Americans against the genocide. Because this episode was specifically focused on anti-war politics within the Black community, I noted that Black elected leaders in DC have been among those supporting unnecessary US wars and foreign intervention.

The way I made this point was clumsy, and I regret my choice of words. I understand the potential impact when received out of context. The way the story is being reported does not reflect my beliefs.

Allow me to clarify what I believe.

Black Americans are and have been at the forefront of the fight to realize the very best American ideals of freedom and justice for all. As a community organizer, I have been deeply inspired by the Black liberation struggle, and I’ve been blessed to study with elders including the late Rev James Lawson. Many Black elected leaders have also been among our strongest opponents to war, like when Rep Barbara Lee was the lone vote against authorizing the global war on terror in 2001.

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That said, national elected leaders across race, ethnicity, age and gender have been supporters of unnecessary US wars. This poses a challenge to the anti-war movement.

Americans of all races and ages must work together to advance peace. Until we do, our resources will go to fund war and genocide abroad, rather than investing in affordable housing and healthcare, or closing the racial wealth gap. Our priorities as a nation are upside down, and I will continue to work closely with Black community leaders, and all people, to set our priorities straight.

That explanation didn’t shield him from social media criticism from all sides:

Lies. You gross leftists can’t help saying the quiet part out loud about Black people thinking for themselves and not getting brainwashed into supporting white populists. The revolution will never ever come.

— A REAL working class Liberal (@iwontconform) July 12, 2026

You can walk back your statements but that racism that popped out is engrained in you, and you should work on that.

— Connor Lillis (@ConnorLillis) July 12, 2026

Lol, you're not helping yourself. Also, why does the Sunrise Movement only talk about Gaza now?

— 💔🐱💔🐾💔 (@NotATweetster) July 12, 2026

Following in the steps of Graham Platner.

Didn't read all that, but does "it was a dark time in my life" or "I was very young at the time" appear in it?

Got any tattoos we should know about?

— Brooklyn Boy 🇺🇸🇨🇦 (@GXWash) July 12, 2026

Here’s more context from HuffPost:

Lawrence said Friday he regrets his past comments, which were part of a conversation about Black liberation with his guest, Khury Petersen-Smith, a young Black activist and the Michael Ratner Middle East Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.

“I have tremendous respect for Black community leaders, who have been at the forefront of the fight for freedom for centuries,” he told HuffPost in a statement. “This was in the context of a wide-ranging conversation with a guest on the show about racial dynamics in progressive politics. I regret how this specific point was expressed.”

Here’s some more controversial commentary from the far-left candidate:

EXCLUSIVE

Michigan Congressional candidate William Lawrence @WeWill2026 (D) suggests that Trump keeping men out of women's sports is really a scheme to blame trans people for the economy and help the rich.

"It’s unacceptable, and I will always stand up for the rights of LGBTQ… pic.twitter.com/b6CSRTNdMZ

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 2, 2026