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C T

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Jewish
Politicos
Pledge
Support
For
Rep.
Crockett's
Replacement

A

Detroit's 13th Congressional
Rep. George Crockett Jr. —
one of Israel's first vocal op-
ponents — prepares to step
down after 10 years in office,
Jewish politicos appear to be
spreading their support
among a broad slate of can-
didates vying for the seat.
Jewish political watchdogs
say that Crockett's retire-
ment presents an opportuni-
ty to put another friend in
the House. Crockett is one of
a handful of 435 Congres-
sional members whom
Washington political analy-

TOM BARROW

.

KIMBERLY LIFTON

"I support peaceful
means to solve the
Middle East crisis. Israel
is our strongest ally,
which means arms sales
to Israel's immediate
neighbors are
destabilizing and
contradictory for the
United States.

seven of the eight candidates
with apparent pro-Israel
leanings
"This has attracted more
Jewish support than in the
past," said David Gad-Harf,
executive director of the
Jewish Community Council.
"Now it is more interesting
to our community because it
is an open race. George
Crockett was seen as
unbeatable. There are no ar-
dent opponents of foreign aid
to Israel. It is healthy that
the Jewish community get
involved in this race and a
number of races."
Prominent Jewish
Democrats say it is too early
to back just one political
hopeful. In fact, the Motor
City Political Action Com-
mittee (MOPAC), Detroit's
Democratic Jewish PAC, is
not expected to endorse a
candidate until the primary
winner emerges.
"When you look at the
district, which after many
years now has an open seat
with a large field of can-
didates, it is important for
the Jewish community to try
to discern the candidate who
is most likely to be sympa-
thetic to issues," said Larry
Deitch, a Jewish attorney
who serves as treasurer of
the Michigan Democratic
Party. "George Crockett has
not historically been sympa-
thetic to Israel. We need to
look at the field and help a
friend. We need to send a
friend to Congress."

BARBARA-ROSE COLLINS

Staff Writer

IEDETROIT

24

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1990

sts call hostile toward the
Jewish state, consistently
voting against arms sales
and foreign aid to Israel.
This is only the second
time in 35 years that an in-
cumbent hasn't bid for the
district seat, creating fierce
competition among the eight
Democratic candidates. The
open seat also has attracted
widespread Jewish commun-
ity support, which seems
evenly spread among the

I support Israel's
right to exist. I support
foreign aid to Israel.

Blue Cross-Blue Shield
Chief Financial Officer
Robert Naftaly, a MOPAC
board member, longtime
Democratic political activist
and former state budget di-
rector, added the Jewish
community must rally to
support any political race
when Jewish issues are in
question.
"Every Congressional race
is important to the Jewish
community," Naftaly said.
"Each member has a vote.
We have an opportunity to

ALBERTA TINSLEY-WILLIAMS

gI support Israel's right
to exist within safe borders.
I support the Palestinian
people's quest to find
peaceful co-existence
within safe borders.

get someone into that seat to
represent the concerns of the
Jewish community, which
are mostly Israel and sup-
port of foreign aid to Israel."
The candidates with Jew-
ish backing are: Tom
Barrow, a CPA who waged
two unsuccessful bids for
mayor in 1985 and 1989
against longstanding in-
cumbent Coleman
Young; Barbara-Rose Col-
tins, a Detroit City Council
member; Michael Patterson,
a Detroit attorney; Henry
Stallings II, who operates
check cashing centers and
ran unsuccessfully for state
representative in 1988; Dr.
Charles Vincent, chief of
gynecology at Hutzel and
Detroit Receiving hospitals;
State Rep. Wanita Watkins,
a 12-year veteran of the
Michigan Legislature; and
Alberta Tinsley-Williams, a
Continued on Page 28

