Here are the results in Tuesday’s races that matter most to Jews
Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections held Tuesday, with Jewish Congress members poised to take key leadership roles. Republicans looked to increase their majority in the Senate.Both Republican and Democratic Jewish groups hail election results as a win
Five Jewish Democrats are set to chair key House committees, including three representatives from New York: Jerrold Nadler, the Judiciary Committee; Eliot Engel, Foreign Affairs; and Nita Lowey, Appropriations. Adam Schiff of California will head the Intelligence Committee and John Yarmuth of Kentucky will lead the Budget Committee.
Democrat Jared Polis will be the first Jewish and first gay governor of Colorado, and J.B. Pritzker, a Jewish Democrat, will be the next governor of Illinois. And two Jewish military veterans won upset Democratic victories in House races: Max Rose in New York and Elaine Luria in Virginia.
In the Senate, U.S. Rep. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat and a former synagogue president, defeated the incumbent Republican, Dean Heller.
Here are more results in races of significance to Jewish voters:
House of Representatives
In Michigan, Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, handily won her race in District 13. Tlaib favors a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has opposed U.S. aid to Israel. She will also be one of the first Muslim women in Congress, along with Ilhan Omar, who won in Minnesota.
The Republican Jewish Coalition praised the Republicans for expanding their majority in the Senate, while the Jewish Democratic Council of America congratulated their party on regaining control of the House of Representatives.
The RJC’s executive director Matt Brooks regarded the Republican victories in Tuesday’s midterm elections as a sign of “the strong approval of the American people for the Republican policies that have substantially improved our economy, our national security, and our standing abroad.”
While Democratic control of the House will pump the brakes on President Donald Trump’s agenda and will shift the terrain in Washington, Republicans were relieved that a so-called “blue wave” of Democratic victories appeared to fall short, especially in at least three key Senate races — in Indiana, North Dakota and Texas.
“Historically, the party holding the White House loses seats in Congress during the midterm election,” said Brooks. “This year Republicans did well in a tough environment and increased their share in the Senate. And while we lost seats in the House, it should be noted that Democrats gained far fewer seats in the House this year compared to Republicans in recent history. Republicans gained 63 House seats in the 2010 midterms during President Obama’s first term and 52 in the 1994 midterms during President Clinton’s first term.”
Tablet: Voter Education: Eight candidates who have expressed blatantly anti-Semitic views, or who openly associate with anti-Semites
Results for the eight candidates:
John Fitzgerald R Cal 11th LOST
Arthur Jones R Illinois 3rd LOST
Danny K. Davis D Illinois 7th WON
Andre Carson D Indiana 7th WON
Steve King R Iowa’s 4th WON
Lena Epstein R Michigan 11th LOST
Ilhan Omar D Minnesota 5th WON
Leslie Cockburn D Virginia 5th LOST
Others of interest:
Rashida Tlaib D Michigan 13th WON
Ammar Campa-Najjar D California 50th LOST
Stacey Abrams D Georgia Gov LOST
Dana Rohrabacher R California 48th LOST
Kyrsten Sinema D Arizona Senate D UNDECIDED
Andrew Gillum D Florida Gov LOST
Keith Ellison D Michigan AG WON
Scott Wallace D Pennsylvania 1st LOST