Yesterday most of Israel and world media were focused on the Knesset and Israeli Presidential elections. But in the US, voters were also on their way to the polls.
In Virginia, in a primary election in one of the sleepiest of districts, (I lived there, so please just trust me!) and usually insignificant of elections, there was a major upset. The top ranking US Republican in Congress lost to an unknown Tea Party challenger in a primary election.
US Congressman Eric Cantor was a senior Republican member of Congress and the only Jewish Republican in the US House of Representatives.
Cantor answered questions at a press conference in Jerusalem, Israel, in August 2013.
He was leading a delegation of newly elected Republican Congressmen, many of whom had never visited Israel.
Cantor was on top less than a year ago, he was a leader for the future.
Last night as I was going to sleep in Israel, I saw Cantor tweeted that everyone should go and vote, that was first I heard of the Tuesday election.
This morning my husband’s first words were, “You did not tell me Cantor lost!”
One of the leading Republicans and Jews in Congress was voted out. The polls were wrong.
Was it because he was seen as too soft against Obama?
There will now be much speculation on this upset by David Brat, it happened because?
All I can think of is that famous question, is it good for the Jews?
In this case, I am afraid the answer is no. Eric Cantor was a strong voice for Israel in Congress.
Full disclosure: Eric Cantor’s father and my father played poker together years ago in Richmond, Va. That folks was the big action in the district.
