ELECT I ON

ELECT I ON

Schlussel said. "Theodor
Herzl said, "If you will it, it is
no dream.' Our community
should help so that our goals
are not just a dream, but a
vivid reality."
If elected, Schlussel said
she would re-introduce the
Michigan-Israel free trade
agreement bill that was
tabled last year. She said she
also supports legislation
that would prohibit state-
funded schools from using
tax dollars to pay for anti-

REP. DAVID HONIGMAN

P

rit

Jews and blacks are
entitled to respect and
dignity. This can be
expanded to include the
rights of the unborn
child.

Semitic and racist speakers
such as the Rev. Louis Far-
rakhan, who spoke at MSU.
The Lansing Jewish dele-
gation is made up of Rep.
Maxine Berman, D-
Southfield, who faces Jeffrey
Swinkin of Southfield in the
primary; Rep. Burton
Leland, D-Detroit, unoppos-
ed in the primary; Rep.
David Gubow, D-Huntington
Woods, who is being
challenged by Ilene Gradin
of Berkley in the primary;
Sen. Jack Faxon, D-
Farmington Hills, unoppos-
ed in the primary; and Sen.
Lana Pollack, D-Ann Arbor,
also unopposed in the
primary.
Two other local primary
races have piqued interest of
the Jewish community. The
emotional battle over abor-
tion rights in the 17th

district state senate race and
hopes by the Republican
Party to unseat a 26-year
veteran in the 15th state
senate race have energized
this otherwise lackluster off-
year statewide election.
The 17th district state
senate Republican primary
pits State Rep. David
Honigman, a target of wo-
men's groups for his alleged
flip-flop position on abortion,
against a passionate pro-
choice candidate, State Rep.
Judith Miller. They are be-
ing challenged by a fervent
pro-life candidate, Wixom
businessman Hugh Brother-
ton.
Both legislators are giving
up their positions to make
their respective bids for the
seat being vacated by Rep.
Richard Fessler. The winner
of the primary will face one
of two Democratic candidates
in November — Brotherton's
wife, Carol Brotherton, or
William Foley.
Abortion rights has always
created an emotional fervor
between pro-choice and pro-
life groups. It resurfaced in
force in the Michigan polit-
ical arena shortly before the
1988 campaign. That year, a
statewide ballot proposal

REP. JUDITH MILLER

Government
interference in personal
choices should not be
tolerated. 5

resulted in Medicaid no
longer funding abortions in
Michigan.
In July, the U.S. Supreme
Court limited a woman's
right to choice, giving power
to the states to regulate

BEN MARKS

The Jewish
community needs a
stronger Jewish
delegation.

abortion. Most recently, the
Supreme Court ruled that
states can require parental
notification when teens seek
abortions.
Women's groups, in-
cluding the National Coun-
cil of Jewish Women, have
rallied in force over the pro-
choice issue.
"The abortion issue cat-
ches attention," Miller said.
"But there are other impor-
tant points such as focusing
on accountability in
government, property tax
assessment reduction and
the environment. The abor-
tion issue, however, must be
raised. Government inter-
ference in personal choices
should not be tolerated."
Honigman denies allega-
tions by pro-choice groups
that he switched his stance
on abortion to win votes. He
says other issues like prop-
erty tax decreases, equal ed-
ucation opportunity and en-
vironmental concerns are a
priority.
"I have always maintained
that abortion may be allow-
ed in the first five months,
but not the last four,"
Honigman said. "I used to
vote for Medicaid-funded
abortion, but now I believe
abortions shouldn't be sub-
sidized by the government.
"We should be discourag-
ing abortions and educating
women about birth control. I
am ambivalent about this
whole complex issue."

Of four Republicans battl-
ing it out to challenge 26-
year Democratic incumbent
Jack Faxon in the 15th state
senate district, two are local
Jewish politicians. Recently
elected Southfield City
Council Member Denise
Alexander, a relative
newcomer to the political
scene, and Farmington Hills
City Council Member Ben
Marks will share the ballot
with Terry Sever of Farm-
ington Hills and Alfred
Smith Jr. of Northville.
The winner of that
primary will face Faxon in
November.
In the judicial races

DENISE ALEXANDER

Recently-elected
Southfield City Council
Member Alexander is
making a bid for the
Senate.

scheduled for November,
five Oakland County circuit
judges are unopposed. But
six lawyers vying for two
new court seats will fight
each other in the August
primary to stay afloat for the
November election. Four of
the six top finishers will be
placed on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Of the six, one Jewish can-
didate, Deborah Tyner of
Franklin, is on the slate. The
others are Thomas Brennan
of Troy, Dennis Drury of
Troy, Rudy Nichols of
Waterford, Colleen O'Brien
of Rochester Hills and James
Sheehy of Rochester. ❑

Special writer Jackie Klein
contributed to this report.

THE 1IFTROIT .IFWISH NPINS

22

