Jews In Congress
Democratic candidates seem to have the edge in most races.
Eric Fingerhut
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Washington
W
ith the polls predicting a big
Democratic night, the number
of Jews in the U.S. Congress
is likely to swell and Jewish GOPers could
end up losing a few of their favorite law-
makers.
The Senate matchup in Minnesota
between two Jewish candidates could
end up determining whether Democrats
acquire a filibuster-proof majority in the
Senate. Incumbent Norm Coleman, one
of only two Jewish Republicans in the
Senate, is being challenged by Democrat
Al Franken.
Democrats now have a 51-49 advantage
in the Senate with the inclusion of inde-
pendents Joe Lieberman of Connecticut
and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. But sur-
veys suggest that by the end of voting on
Nov. 4, enough seats will have changed
hands to bring the Democrats close to 60
votes — the number at which the party
could stop a Republican filibuster.
Should Democrats reach the magic
mark, will Lieberman continue to caucus
with them as an independent or end up
on the GOP side of the aisle following his
endorsement of presidential candidate
John McCain?
In the House, the Democrats' 236-199
advantage is expected to expand, which is
likely to add to the total of 29 Jewish law-
makers whose re-election bids are looking
strong.
Only three of the 13 Jewish members of
the Senate are up for re-election: Coleman,
and Democrats Frank Lautenberg of New
Jersey and Carl Levin of Michigan. Levin
is expected to win his sixth term handily
against Jack Hoogendyk Jr., a Republican
three-term state representative.
What follows is a look at some of the
more important and interesting races fea-
turing Jewish candidates.
Minnesota's Jewish seat
"I don't think Minnesota is ready for a
gentile in this seat!"
That's comedian Al Franken's standard
joke about the fact that the U.S. Senate
seat in Minnesota for which he's running
has been occupied by a Jew for the past
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October 30 • 2008
JN
30 years. That streak
should continue another
six years with Franken,
a Jewish Democrat,
running 5 to 6 percent-
age points ahead of the
Jewish first-term incum-
bent, Republican Norm
Norm Coleman
Coleman, in recent
polls. According to the
surveys, a non-Jewish
independent candidate,
Dean Barkley, has been
receiving 15-20 percent
of the vote.
Coleman, a former
mayor of St. Paul, and
Franken have clashed
over issues. Franken
Al Franken
supported a quick U.S.
pullout from Iraq, while
Coleman has opposed a firm timetable for
withdrawal. And the Republican backed
the $700 million bailout bill last month,
while the Democrat criticized it for failing
to provide enough congressional oversight
and supports more economic help for the
middle class.
Israel has not been an issue in the cam-
paign, but Iran did come up at a recent
debate. Franken said that while he would
not take any option off the table, it would
be a "grave mistake" to take military
action against Iran and backed talks with
the Iranian government. Coleman said
military action must remain an option
and stressed the importance of energy
independence in being able to counter the
Islamic Republic.
Franken and Coleman have spent a
combined $28 million mostly attacking
each other.
The Minnesota race is seen as one of the
crucial races Democrats must win if they
want to achieve a filibuster-proof 60-vote
majority in the Senate.
Lautenberg's Challenge
The only other U.S. Senate race match-
ing two Jewish candidates is in New
Jersey, where 84-year-old Democrat
Frank Lautenberg is strongly favored to
win his fifth non-consecutive term over
Republican Dick Zimmer, 64.
Lautenberg had retired in 2000 after
three terms, but returned two years later
to replace incumbent Bob Torricelli on
the ballot just a few
weeks before the election
when Torricelli became
enmeshed in scandal.
Lautenberg has stressed
his record as a protector
of the environment, foe
of big oil and backer of
Frank
energy independence
Lautenberg
as well as his support
of expanding affordable
health care.
Most recently a law-
yer-lobbyist, Zimmer
spent three terms in the
U.S. House before losing
to Torricelli in the 1996
Senate race. He is best
known for his spon-
Dick Zimmer
sorship of the federal
version of Megan's Law,
which requires notifying
residents when a sex offender moves into
a neighborhood.
The Republican is emphasizing his fis-
cal conservatism, accusing Lautenberg of
backing wasteful spending and arguing
that the Democrat has not done enough to
get New Jersey its fair share of federal tax
money returned to the state.
The other 10 Jewish senators — seven
Democrats, two independents and a
Republican — are not up for re-election
this term.
Rabbi's Run In N.J.
In a race with a potential first, Democrat
Dennis Shulman — aka "The Blind
Rabbi" — appears to be within striking
distance in the contest to represent New
Jersey's 5th District in the U.S. House of
Representatives. A new poll has Shulman,
who lost his sight as a teenager and was
ordained as a Reform rabbi five years
ago, trailing incumbent Republican Scott
Garrett by just 7 percentage points. Also,
the Democrat in recent days has picked
up the endorsements of New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, and the
New York Times.
Move Over Obama And Palin
If the sight of a black presidential nomi-
nee and woman vice-presidential choice
feel like old news by now, then check out
Colorado and Florida.
Jared Polis, a 33-year-old Democrat in
Colorado's 2nd District, is poised to make
history. If he wins the open seat, which has
been occupied by a Democrat for more
than 30 years, Polis would become the first
openly gay non-incumbent male elected
to Congress. He is seen as the most likely
bet to add to the current total of 29 Jewish
House members.
A multimillionaire Internet entrepre-
neur, Polls founded the site for his parents'
Blue Mountain Arts greeting card com-
pany. He has given more than $5 million
to his campaign to win a district that
includes Boulder and other Denver sub-
urbs. Polis has not emphasized his sexual
orientation in the campaign.
"I think it's important to live one's life
openly and honestly, and I certainly do
that;' he told the Advocate, a gay publica-
tion. "I treat it as I would my religion. If
people ask, I'm happy to tell them about
it."
Polis is emphasizing his background as
a champion of public education — he is a
founder of two Colorado charter schools
and a six-year member of the state board
of education. He also supports a universal
health-care system and a quick end to the
war in Iraq.
He is facing Republican aerospace engi-
neer Scott Stain, Unity Party candidate
Bill Hammons and the Green Party's J.A.
Calhoun.
In the 6th District, Democrat Hank Eng
is attempting to become the first Jewish,
Chinese-American in Congress. Eng,
a recent convert to Judaism, is trailing
Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman,
a Republican, in the race to follow GOPer
Tom Tancredo. No Democrat has won the
seat since it was created in 1980.
Eng, a New Yorker born to Chinese
immigrants, married a Jewish woman and
converted as his daughter approached bat
mitzvah. He found himself delving deeper
into Judaism and made a choice that soon
seemed a natural fit with his politics.
"Part of my faith includes a commit-
ment to tikkun olam; there is so much that
needs correcting:' he said, using the term
for "repairing of the world!'
He said that, combined with his sen-
sibility as the child of immigrants, drove
him to repair what he saw as the damage
committed by Tancredo, who ran in the
Republican primaries on a stridently anti-
immigration platform. ❑