WASHINGTON (JTA) — Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives elected Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) their majority leader in the next Congress.
Cantor won the election uncontested on Wednesday evening, paving the way for him to become one of the highest-ranking Jews in U.S. government history. When the 112th Congress convenes in January, Cantor will be the second-ranked member of the House after the likely speaker, Rep. John Boehner (R-Va.). That would make Cantor the highest-ranking Jew in congressional history.
It is difficult to assess the relative power of senior positions across the three branches of U.S. government — the legislature, the executive branch and the judiciary. There have been numerous Jewish associate justices of the Supreme Court, and a number of Jews have occupied senior Cabinet posts, including secretaries of state, defense and treasury.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the outgoing House speaker, was elected minority leader this week in a 150-43 vote.
As a party leader, Pelosi made Jewish outreach a priority, designating Reva Price, a senior adviser and former executive of a number of Jewish organizations, as her point person.
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