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A34

November 20 • 2008

he only Jewish Republican
in the U.S. House of
Representatives is poised to
become its second-highest ranking
minority member.
Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., is likely to
ascend to the minority whip position
in the House after another GOP law-
maker, Roy Blunt of Missouri, stepped
down from the post on Nov. 6.
Cantor, 45, has served as chief dep-
uty whip for the past six years and has
been considered a rising star in the
Republican Party pretty much since
his election to the House in 2000.
As someone who could appeal to
two key constituencies — Jews and
conservatives — Cantor's name was
even floated this summer as a possible
vice-presidential pick for John McCain,
although it doesn't appear as if he were
seriously considered for the position.
He also played a key role in nego-
tiations over an economic bailout bill
earlier this fall, offering conservative
alternatives to the package originally
proposed by the Bush administration.
Representing a district that includes
parts of Richmond and its suburbs,
as well as rural areas to the north,
Cantor's political philosophy is one of
a traditional Republican conservative
on both economic and social issues.
He also is pro-gun and anti-abortion
and has backed Bush administration
secrecy policies.
Such views have led Jewish
.

Democrats to argue that while he may
be Jewish, his views are "out of step"
with the mainstream of the commu-
nity, at least on domestic matters.
On the Middle East, Cantor has
been on the front lines for his party
in advocating for the Jewish state and
charging Democrats with being insuf-
ficiently committed to Israel. On the
latter point, he's been accused of dis-
torting Democratic positions.
As an example, in May he released a
statement misquoting Barack Obama
as saying Israel was a "constant sore"
in the Middle East. In fact, Obama
was speaking of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, not the Jewish state. Cantor
never corrected the statement.
Cantor has been an effective rep-
resentative of Jewish concerns to the
Republican caucus. William Daroff,
the vice president for public policy of
the United Jewish Communities and
the head of the group's Washington
office, credited Cantor with helping to
stave off efforts this summer to limit
tax exemptions for nonprofits.
Cantor played a key role in convinc-
ing his former Republican colleagues
in the Virginia House of Delegates,
where he served eight years, to back
Iran divestment legislation.
Cantor was raised as a Conservative
Jew, and in a 2001 interview with the
Washington Jewish Week said he does
his best to keep kosher. He said avoid-
ing non-kosher meat can be compli-
cated when he attends an event and
his hosts want him to try their barbe-
cue, but they usually understand.
Cantor has strong roots in the
Richmond Jewish community, with
both the Federation and the JCC.
Known and lauded in his party
for his prodigious fundraising skills,
Cantor did run into problems from
a fundraiser he held at a kosher deli
in 2003. His campaign didn't pay the
bill for the event at disgraced lobbyist
Jack Abramoff's delicatessen, Stacks;
but when the problem became public,
Cantor apologized, paid the bill and
was not sanctioned.
Cantor also received $30,000 in
campaign contributions from entities
affiliated with Abramoff. After the
lobbyist pleaded guilty to fraud and
corruption charges, Cantor donated
$10,000 of the money to charity. Eli