Cover Story
Challenger David Fink takes on incumbent oe
BORN: Sept. 25, 1952, in Detroit
AGE: 50
RESIDENCE: West Bloomfield
KEY CURRENT AFFILIATIONS: Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan
Detroit advisory board; Michigan Jewish Conference board member; Yad Ezra
advisory board
EDUCATION: Magna cum laude graduate, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.,
bachelor's degree in economics; cum laude graduate, Harvard Law School, 1977
FAMILY: Wife, Trudy; son, Nathan, 16; daughter, Lauren, 13
WEB SITE: www.davidfink2002.org
HARRY KIRS BAUM
Staff-Writer
I
n one corner stands Joe
Knollenberg — Republican,
conservative, pro-life, Catholic,
seeking his sixth term as U.S.
representative in Michigan's newly
drawn 9th Congressional District.
In the other corner stands David
Fink — Democrat, moderate, pro-
choice, Jewish, seeking to unseat
Knollenberg in this new district where
62 percent of the people previously
were represented by someone else (see
map, page 19).
Aside from the gubernatorial race
between Michigan Attorney General
Jennifer Granholm against Lt. Gov.
Dick Posthumus, this is the race to
watch for Jewish voters in metropoli-
tan Detroit. The densest proportion of
metro Detroit Jews lives in the 9th
district.
On domestic issues, Knollenberg -
and Fink are worlds apart, but they
share a strong support for the state of
Israel.
What's at stake in this race for a
two-year term and $150,000 salary is
Knollenberg's position as a member.of
the influential House Appropriations
Committee, a committee that, he says,
"helps style policy."
Calling Fink "the first general oppo-
10/4
2002
16
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nent of consequence" in 10 years,
Knollenberg said he has raised more
money for this election campaign than
any other.
According to the latest Federal
Election Commission filing on July
17, Knollenberg had raised $1.6 mil-
lion, twice as much as Fink.
And Knollenberg said he's been out
campaigning door to door in Troy and
Waterford to introduce himself to vot-
ers. This way, he has been able to clar-
ify some of his positions to the people
in his district, which has gained him
more support, he said.
What Jewish voters must consider is
how Knollenberg's stance on domestic
issues outweighs his power on the Hill
when it comes to Israel. Fink is a chal-
lenger with distinct differences in
domestic philosophy.
Foreign Policy Issues .
Knollenberg believes he is running on
a 10-year-record that "stands up very
well to any challenge that may be pre-
sented.
"Obviously, every constituent is not
going to be happy with everything I
do, but that's how it works," he said.
Though Knollenberg has had experi-
ence on the eduCation and banking
committees, his background is prima-
rily, with appropriations. "To be on the