Eight Jews, including two incumbents, are running for the United States Senate in the November 2 elections. In the unlikely event that they all win, the number of Jews in the Senate will double to 12.
In the House, 24 of the 25 incumbents are seeking re-election. Rep. Marc Marks (R. Pa.) has decided not to run again after six years in the House. There are also 22 Jews seeking election for the first time to the House.
The six Jews now in the Senate, all of them serving their first six-year term, are evenly divided among Democrats and Republicans. The three Democrats include the two seeking reelection: Sens. Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio and Edward Zorinsky of Nebraska; and Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan. The three Republicans are Sens. Rudy Boschwitz of Minnesota, Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania and Warren Rudman of New Hampshire.
However, there is only one Republican among the six Jews seeking to unseat incumbents. He is Chic Hecht, a Las Vegas businessman and former Nevada State Senator, who is trying to deny a fifth form to Sen. Howard Cannon. Hecht, who operates clothing stores, and is considered to be close to Sen. Paul Laxalt (R. Nev.) is being given a chance to win by the experts, although Cannon is considered ahead.
The two incumbents are expected to win easily. Merzenbaum, while technically a freshman in the Senate, was appointed to the Senate in 1974 to fill the unexpired term of William Saxbe. But he failed to win the Democratic nomination later that year, losing to John Glenn. The 65-year-old Merzenbaum won a full six-year term in 1976. In the Senate, he has been a leading supporter of Israel and Jewish issues.
The 64-old-old Zorinsky a former Mayor of Omaha, has not. Although he voted against the sale of AWACS to Saudi Arabia in the Foreign Relations Committee last year, he voted for the sale on the floor of the Senate.
THREE NEWCOMERS ARE LOOKING GOOD
Three of the other newcomers are also given a chance of defeating incumbents although all of them are behind. One of them is Harriet Woods, a Missouri State Senator, who is running against Sen. John Danforth (R. Mo.), a supporter of Israel as well as a leading Congressional advocate of the cause of Soviet Jewry.
Woods, a former newspaper reporter and television producer, defeated 10 other candidates to win the Democratic primary and has made a close race of what was expected to be runaway election for Danforth. Should she win, she would be the first Jewish woman to serve in the Senate.
Also given a chance to win in a close race is Julie Michaelson, a former Rhode Island Attorney General and State Senator, who is the Democratic candidate against Sen. John Chafe Michaelson is also a former general counsel to the Rhode Island branch of the AFL-CIO.
In New Jersey, Frank Lautenberg, a businessman and honorary national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, is, according to the latest count, making a close race of what was expected to be the sure election of Rep. Millicent Fenwick, his Republican opponent. He was a surprise winner in the Democratic primary and the experts gave him little chance for next week’s election until just recently. Fenwick has been a supporter of Israel in the House.
Other Jewish contenders include: Dr. Cyril Wecht, a medical doctor who is an Allegheny County commissioner in Pittsburgh is the Democratic candidate against Sen. John Heinz. Heinz is a supporter of Israel and active in the cause of Soviet Jewry. Wecht is the former chairman of the Pittsburgh Conference on Soviet Jewry. In Delaware, David Levinson, a real estate developer, is given little chance against Republican incumbent William Roth. Roth, like Danforth and Heinz voted against the sale of AWACS.
LINE UP FOR THE HOUSE
In the House, only four of the 25 Jewish incumbents are Republicans. Only three of the 22 Jewish challengers are Republicans. Two of them are in races against other Jews. In Florida, Maurice Berkowitz, an attorney, is the Republican candidate against Larry Smith, a Democratic state representative. In Michigan, Jerry Rosen, an attorney, is the Republican candidate against Democrat Sandy Levin, brother of Sen. Carl Levin.
Two Jewish incumbents are in tough races because of redistricting: Reps. Martin Frost (D. Tex.) and Barney Frank (D. Mass.). Frank’s contest with Rep. Margaret Heckler (R. Mass.) has drawn national attention.
Incidentally, redistricting cost the seats of two non-Jewish supporters of Israel on the House Foreign Relations Committee. Rep. Edward Derwinski (R. III.) was defeated in a primary contest last spring and Rep. Jonathan Bingham (D. NY) decided not to seek re-election. Derwinski has just been named State Department Counselor by President Reagan.
There is only one Jewish woman in the House. Rep. Bobbi Fiedler (R. Calif.).Rep. Gladys Spellman (D. Mo.) was re-elected two years ago despite suffering a stroke but her seat was vacated shortly after the 97th Congress went into session. There are three Jewish women seeking their first terms in the House, all Democrats. They are Barbara Boxer, a San Francisco County Supervisor; Lyn Cutler, vice chairman of the Democratic Party in Iowa, and Beth Bland, a mayor in Washington.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
