ELECT I ON
ELECT 1 ON
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin tours a Jackson neighborhood with local officers.
facing a stiff challenge from
Ted Muenster, who has
reached out actively to the
Jewish community.
Pressler has not been
highly rated by pro-Israel
activists. Still, the value of
incumbency is evident.
Despite a mixed record on
Middle East issues, Pressler
SEN. PAUL SIMON
Illinois is sporting a
dramatic, high-stakes U.S.
Senate race between
Simon, a Democrat, and
GOP challenger Rep.
Lynn Martin
is receiving substantial
amounts of pro-Israel PAC
money.
Some Jewish groups, in-
cluding the Multi-Issue PAC
(MIPAC) — one of few PACs
that distribute money on
the basis of both Middle East
and domestic issues — take a
dimmer view of Pressler's
accomplishments. In fact,
MIPAC is supporting
Muenster because of his
positions on both domestic
and Middle East issues.
In Iowa, incumbent
Democrat Tom Harkin is
facing a vigorous challenge
from Rep. Tom Tauke, a
Republican, in what is ex-
pected to be a photo-finish
race.
The Iowa contest has
major implications for the
pro-Israel community.
Harkin has what pro-Israel
activists consider an ex-
emplary record on Middle
East issues. Equally impor-
tant, he sits on the foreign
operations and defense sub-
committees — significant
addresses on Capitol Hill for
supporters of the pro-Israel
agenda.
Tauke, however, has a
mixed record on key Middle
East issues.
In addition, Tauke has ge-
nerated strong opposition
from Jewish multi-issue
groups because of his con-
servative domestic agenda.
Recently, the challenger
promoted an amendment to
the "national service" bill
that would give organiza-
tions wide latitude in dis-
criminating against prospec-
tive employees on the basis
of their religious beliefs.
Pro-Israel groups have
gone all-out for Harkin. But
the early polls portend a
tight race in a state that is
moving steadily toward the
conservative pole of the po-
litical spectrum.
Illinois sports a dramatic,
high-stakes race between in-
cumbent Sen. Paul Simon, a
Democrat, and GOP
challenger Rep. Lynn Mar-
tin.
Simon has become a kind
of icon to the pro-Israel
community — mostly be-
cause of his stunning defeat
of Sen. Charles Percy in
1984, a race that demon-
strated the muscle of the pro-
Israel community.
Simon continues to be a
strong supporter of the pro-
Israel agenda, though his
stature as a national star on
the political scene has
dimmed.
During her years in the
House, Martin has compiled
a mixed record. But Martin
is waging an exceptionally
vigorous campaign and has
raised large sums of money.
In media-conscious Illinois,
money could be a major fac-
tor.
In Colorado, the retire-
ment of Republican Sen.
William Armstrong has not
provoked many tears from
the Jewish political com-
munity.
Armstrong has been a
problem for pro-Israel
groups, with a mixed record
on foreign aid and positive
votes on several controver-
sial arms sales to Arab coun-
tries.
Jewish multi-issue groups,
too, have had a special
dislike for Armstrong be-
cause of his support for the
Christian Right agenda, in-
cluding issues like prayer in
schools and limits on the
civil rights of homosexuals.
Rep. Hank Brown, a
Republican, is the front-
runner in the race to
replace Armstrong. Brown
has compiled a strong pro-
Israel record during his five
terms in Congress. The
Democratic primary will be
held in August.
In North Carolina, the
domestic agenda is also a
key factor. There, the
Senate's most outspoken
conservative, Jesse Helms,
is running for a fourth term
against a black candidate.
Harvey Gantt, the former
mayor of Charlotte, is
waging a strong and effec-
tive campaign against
Helms.
Helms has been a major
obstacle to a number of
SEN CLAIBORNE PELL
Veteran Rhode Island
Senate warrior Pell, a
longtime friend of Israel,
faces a stiff challenge by
popular Rep. Claudine
Schneider.
issues promoted by Jewish
groups in Washington, in-
cluding the Hate Crimes
Statistics bill, which was
held up for many months be-
cause of his dogged opposi-
tion.
Helms has also earned the
enmity of Jewish activists on
church-state issues. Several
years ago, he led a move-
ment in Congress to strip the
U.S. Supreme Court of
jurisdiction in church-state
matters.
On the pro-Israel front,
Helms began his Senate ca-
reer as a foe of foreign aid.
During the Lebanon crisis in
1982, he suggested breaking
diplomatic ties with Israel.
But in recent years, Helms
has changed his views as a
strong supporter of the Jew-
ish state. This has been at-
tributed to a trip to Israel
several years ago and some
persistent lobbying by con-
servative Jews, including
Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-
Minn.).
Now, Helms is one of the
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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