GOP drops candidate over Jewish remarks

The Indiana Republican Party asked a man who hinted that Jews were pushing for war with Iran not to file as its candidate for Indianapolis mayor. The Republican Jewish Coalition commended the party’s reaction to Bob Parker’s statements in a Feb. 22 interview, in which he said, “I personally see Israel going into Iran and Syria in the next couple of months… It’s mainly because of the Jewish faction inside the Democratic Party. Most Jewish people are Democrats, and they bring that wealth. My opinion is, if Israel would go into Iran, Democrats will follow that cause.” The following day, Parker was asked not to file as a mayoral candidate. “Parker’s remarks reinforced a negative stereotype about Jews that has no place in the American political debate,” RJC Executive Director Matthew Brooks said. “We appreciate the Indiana state GOP’s sensitivity to the effect this kind of language has on public discourse and on the Jewish community.”