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September 17, 2020 |
Your
weekly look at the latest news, analysis, and RJC activities around
the country. |
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Featured —
Alaska Senate Race – Dan
Sullivan
Alaska's Senate race wasn't on anybody's list of competitive
races at the beginning of the year. First-term Republican Senator
Dan Sullivan, who previously served as the state's
Attorney General and Commissioner of Natural Resources, is well-liked
and effective. He gets a big share of the credit for opening up a
portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration - a
state priority that had been stymied for decades.
But COVID hit the state's critical tourism and oil industries
hard. And Democrats warmed to the candidate challenging Sullivan, a
Jewish doctor named Al Gross. Gross, whose father was
once the state's Attorney General, is officially running as an
independent. But it's a distinction without much of a difference,
since he says he'll caucus with the Democrats in the Senate if
elected.
Gross has raised serious money from Democrat donors in the
Lower 48 who love the idea of picking off a seat in such a typically
Republican state and supplemented those funds with money of his own.
Now Sullivan has a fight on his hands.
To win, Sullivan will need to impress upon Alaska voters that
a vote for "independent" Gross is a vote to empower national Democrats
who want to reverse the progress the state has made while he's been
Senator. As regards Jewish voters - the so-called "Frozen Chosen" -
and others who support Israel, Sullivan can point to his strong
opposition to the Obama-Biden Iran nuclear deal and the fact that
Gross has been endorsed by J Street. Gross may beat expectations, but
don't bet against Dan Sullivan.
UAE-Bahrain-Israel peace
agreements
This week we saw an incredible achievement - the signing of
the peace agreement between Israel and the UAE, the declaration of
peace between Israel and Bahrain, and the Abraham Accords Declaration
signed by Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and the US. RJC Executive Director
Matt Brooks pointed
out that this truly historic occasion would not have been possible
without the tremendous efforts of President Donald
Trump and his team.
The RJC took out a
full-page ad in the New York Times on Tuesday to commend
and thank President Trump, “a true statesman who has done what others
could not.” As Matt Brooks said:
[The President’s] controversial decisions to move the US
Embassy to Jerusalem and recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan
Heights were part of a regional strategy that has proven its wisdom
this week with the signing of peace agreements between Israel and two
Arab states. In addition to opening the door for regional cooperation
in many spheres, these agreements strengthen the regional alliance
against the threat of Iran. The world is safer today because of
President Trump.
You can read
the text of the Abraham
Accords Declaration, the Abraham Accords Peace
Agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, and the
Abraham Accords Declaration
of Peace between Bahrain and Israel. The full video of the signing event
is here.
The language in these documents is worth noting. The Abraham
Accords Declaration says that all four countries recognize the
importance of religious freedom and encourage efforts to promote
interfaith and intercultural dialogue among the three Abrahamic
religions. The Israel-UAE treaty of peace includes these words:
“Recognizing that the Arab and Jewish peoples are descendants of a
common ancestor, Abraham…” The declaration of peace between Bahrain
and Israel says the king of Bahrain and the Prime Minister of Israel,
“have agreed to open an era of friendship and cooperation in pursuit
of a Middle East region that is stable, secure and prosperous for the
benefit for all States and peoples in the region.”
Throughout these historic declarations, the reality of Jewish
peoplehood, the Jewish connection to the land of Israel, and the
legitimacy of the State of Israel are expressed. The “Three Nos”
declared by the Arab League after the 1967 Arab-Israel war, “No peace
with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel,”
are now overturned. The idea that peace in the Middle East depended on
first solving the Palestinian issue is dead.
There is one more remarkable implication to this week’s
diplomatic achievement. According to an analysis in Foreign
Policy, the Abraham Accords are a
strategic nightmare for Iran. The agreements will allow Israel a
“foothold” in Iran’s immediate neighborhood, around the Horn of
Africa, the Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf. No longer will the
Arab-Israeli conflict over the Palestinians create a geopolitical
xxxxxx between Iran and the US-Israel alliance or offer Iran
“strategic depth” for its activities in the region.
Further
Reading:
Best wishes for a
sweet, happy, and healthy new year, from the officers and staff of the
Republican Jewish Coalition.
• RJC National Chairman Senator Norm Coleman
participated in a Moment Magazine debate with former Rep.
Steven Israel (D-NY). The topic: "Should Jews Still
Be Democrats?" Read
Sen. Coleman’s strong “NO” arguments here.
• In case you missed
it – Be sure to read Sen. Coleman’s eloquent op-ed in the
Times of Israel on why
Jews would vote for Trump.
• This Washington Examiner article discusses the
RJC’s efforts to increase the Jewish vote for President
Trump:
…Matt Brooks, executive director of the
Republican Jewish Coalition, said Tuesday's signing meant things were
moving in the president's direction, albeit gradually.
“Because of the signing ceremony today and because of the
incredible record and accomplishments of this president, which have
been historic, I am very confident that the president is going to do
better among Jewish voters in 2020 than he did in 2016,” he said.
Exit polls suggest Trump captured about 24% of the Jewish vote
last time around, roughly in line with Republican candidates in the
previous four elections.
The Republican Jewish Coalition is spending $10 million in
Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan in the
hope that wooing a point or two of the Jewish vote from
[Joe] Biden in battleground states
could be enough to deliver an electoral victory to Trump.
The venerable group published a full-page advert in the
New York Times to coincide with the signing ceremony,
proclaiming [Donald] Trump a
“peacemaker.”
“President Trump, you are a statesman who has done what no
others could do: moving the embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israel’s
sovereignty over the Golan Heights, brokering this historic deal with
the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain,” it said.
…But for Brooks and the Jewish Republican Coalition, the aim
is to treat Israel as one of a number of issues that can be
microtargeted to voters in an effort to appeal to those concerned
about anti-Semitism, the state of the economy, campaigns to defund the
police, and school choice.
It’s an approach they say bore fruit in Florida, helping
Ron DeSantis to the governor’s mansion two years ago
with a campaign that attacked his Democratic rival for links to groups
critical of Israel.
“There’s no question that his significant increase in Jewish
support helped propel him to victory in that election,” said Brooks.
“That’s the same model that I think will be in play here.”
Check out all the great ads the RJC has put out so far in this
election cycle and watch this space for more ads, coming soon!
RJC print ad in the New York Times thanking President
Donald Trump: “Peacemaker”
RJC digital ad supporting Sen. Susan Collins
(R-ME), featuring Sen. Joe Lieberman: “Bipartisan”
RJC television ad supporting Jewish Republican Lisa
Scheller (PA-7): “Grit”
RJC television ad supporting Jewish Republican David
Richter (NJ-3), focused on his opponent Andy
Kim’s record as an Obama administration official: “Intelligence”
RJC video featuring Cantor Sagee Goldenholz,
Mark Dunec, Dr. Caryn Borger, and
Rabbi Alan Sherman: “Wake
Up Call”
RJC video on President Trump's historic pro-Israel record: “Sunrise”
RJC ad on leading Democrats turning their backs on Israel: “Shanda”
The RJC
is committed to reelecting President Donald Trump,
keeping the Senate, and winning back the House. We encourage
our members to participate in our outreach phonebank project to help
Republicans win in November. It's easy, and you can do it from
home! Here's how YOU can help:
- Sign up to
call Jewish voters from home by clicking HERE.
-
Fill out all of the fields.
- Listen to the instructions and write
down your username and password when a member of the RJC Victory Team
contacts you.
- Make as many phone calls as you can. Everyone you
speak to is a potential vote for President Trump and the
GOP!
Sign up now and you could be the next RJC
Volunteer of the Week!
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The RJC PAC
has endorsed a terrific slate of House and Senate candidates, and we
need them to continue their work on Capitol Hill!
CLICK
HERE to donate through the RJC PAC portal and show your support for
our great candidates!
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And
don't forget your RJC/Trump kippah!
Our extremely popular
red Trump kippah is now for sale for just $18. This includes shipping
and handling. Supplies are limited.
BUY YOUR KIPPAH HERE.
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Rep.
Kevin McCarthy lays out agenda for after the GOP takes the House in
November
We are announcing our commitment to America
with three specific objectives: restore our way of life, rebuild the
greatest economy in history, and renew the American
dream.
Donald
J. Trump is Israel's best
friend
RJC Leader and Florida State Representative
Randy Fine makes the case for President Trump as the
most pro-Israel president in history.
Two
former “not-Trump” voters explain their change of
heart
Danielle Pletka writes that she never
considered voting for Donald Trump. She didn’t like
his demeanor, his tweets, or his decision-making style. “But
I fear the leftward lurch of the Democratic Party even more… I am
increasingly persuaded that what I see in Joe Biden —
whom I first met in 1992, and whom I believe to be a decent person —
would merely be the facade for an administration, fully backed by both
houses of Congress, with an agenda that would seriously damage the
nation. The corrosive left-wing extremism of 2020 would be ascendant,
while a smiling President Biden assures the country that everything is
fine.”
College senior Michael Weiner thought voting
for Joe Biden was the obvious choice. Then Pres.
Trump “pulled
the proverbial rabbit out of the Middle East hat,” with the
Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain. Weiner writes,
“This is kind of a big deal, and it’s freaking me out… If Biden takes
us back to foreign policy circa 2013, where dealing with Iran’s
nuclear ambitions was the top priority, I can’t see him finishing the
job and brokering an Israeli-Saudi peace agreement. And with this
tantalizing fantasy closer than it’s ever been before, I’m hesitant to
pull the lever for Joe and give up on that dream.”
162
House Dems vote against measure to combat
antisemitism
Adam Kredo reports:
Republicans offered the antisemitism measure as an amendment to a
piece of Democrat-backed legislation promoting greater inclusivity in
federal programs. The bill, dubbed the Equity and Inclusion
Enforcement Act, would permit the filing of private civil suits for
violations of federal regulations that "prohibit discrimination on the
ground of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities
receiving federal financial assistance." The Republican amendment,
which passed by a vote of 265 to 164, with 162 Democrats in
opposition, mandates that antisemitism also be considered as
discrimination.
— Events —
RJC Victory Team National Days of
Action
Last week, we awarded RJC’s first 2020 Volunteer Raffle Prize
(an iPad Mini) to Laurie Semo from Delray Beach, FL.
The next drawing will be on Tuesday, September 22.
Reminder: For
every 1,000 calls made to targeted Jewish voters in key battleground
states, volunteers will receive 1 raffle “ticket” to enter the prize
drawing, and will receive a $100 AmEx gift card.
Please join us for the upcoming
RJC Victory Team
Virtual Days of Action scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 24. There will be a half day of calling on
Sunday, September
27 and then
regular Virtual Days of Action on Tuesday, September 29 and Thursday, October 1. We are
calling potential Jewish voters in Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia, key battleground states
of the 2020 election cycle. Click
here to sign up and help!
While RJC offices are closed and our staff are teleworking, you
can reach us by email or by phone (please leave a voicemail message
and your call will be returned). Contact
information for our offices can be found on our web site. Please
visit us online for the latest RJC
news, to volunteer
for our 2020 outreach efforts, to see details of upcoming events,
and to donate
to the RJC.
If you like the work we’re doing, consider joining us on
Facebook and Twitter, and renew or upgrade your RJC
membership. Ensure that your voice is heard in our party
and our community!
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