Jewish Democrats Endorse Ten Candidates in Midterms

JDCA gives nod to Senators Casey and Smith, Rep. O’Rourke, and House candidates Allred, Rep. Cartwright, Hill, Kim, Porter, Trone, and Wexton in fourth round of endorsements.

WASHINGTON — Today, the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) – the voice for Jewish Democrats and progressive, pro-Israel values – announced its fourth round of endorsements for the 2018 midterm elections. This brings JDCA’s total number of Senate and House endorsements to 25 in this election cycle. JDCA plans to announce additional endorsements each month between now and November.

In this latest round, JDCA is endorsing Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) for re-election, and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) for election to the U.S. Senate. JDCA is also endorsing seven candidates for the House of Representatives: Colin Allred for Texas District 32; Congressman Matt Cartwright for reelection in Pennsylvania District 8; Katie Hill for California District 25; Andy Kim for New Jersey District 3; Katie Porter for California District 45; David Trone for Maryland District 6; and Jennifer Wexton for Virginia District 10.

“JDCA supports Democratic candidates who share our fundamental values and positions on a range of domestic and foreign policy issues. JDCA also seeks to endorse candidates running in states and districts in which the Jewish community is projected to play a meaningful role in determining the outcome of the race in support of the Democrat,” said Halie Soifer, JDCA Executive Director. “All of the candidates announced today share our Jewish and Democratic values, and have demonstrated the ability to win their race. We are confident they will win in November, and successfully bring those values to the Senate and the House.”

These ten endorsements come on the heels of JDCA’s third round of endorsements, which included Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), as well as Reps. Conor Lamb (D-PA) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).

“As we get closer to Election Day, our mission only becomes more urgent – JDCA aims to flip the House and the Senate to Democratic control, and lay the groundwork for a Democratic win in 2020. It is our objective to hold President Trump and Republicans in Congress accountable for their policies and actions, which are out of sync with Jewish and Democratic values. We plan to do so by unseating Republicans who have rubber-stamped President Trump’s agenda in Congress, and by supporting strong Democrats running for the Senate and House. We are gaining momentum in our efforts, which will continue to expand between now and November.” said Soifer.

Senator Bob Casey defeated Rick Santorum for Senator in 2006 and was reelected again in 2012. He has been an active opponent of President Trump on tax cuts and health care, among other issues. Sen. Casey is a strong supporter of Israel, traveling there five times since becoming Senator.

Senator Tina Smith faces a special election in Minnesota after being appointed to the U.S. Senate in January 2018. Smith has been a strong voice for universal healthcare and a champion for rural and Native American people.

Congressman Beto O’Rourke, who is challenging Senator Ted Cruz, has represented the people of Texas’s 16th Congressional District in the House since 2012. O’Rourke is a moderate who understands Texas voters. He’s a proponent of universal healthcare and legalizing marijuana.

David Trone is a successful entrepreneur and businessman in Maryland. Trone seeks a ban on assault weapons and supports universal background checks and universal Pre-K. He has also advocated for increased efforts to effectively combat the opioid epidemic.

Congressman Matt Cartwright was elected to represent Pennsylvania’s 17th District in 2012. Rep. Cartwright has a strong reputation of reaching across the aisle in the House to advocate for working families.

Katie Hill is a California native and non-profit veteran. She worked at PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), the largest non-profit provider of homes for the homeless in the state of California. She also helped pass historic ballot initiatives aiming to alleviate homelessness in Los Angeles County. She has been endorsed by former President Obama.

Andy Kim is a Rhodes Scholar and national security adviser in the Obama White House, where he advised the President on ISIS and other security issues. Kim is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, reducing the role of special interests in politics, and ending voter suppression. He has been endorsed by former President Obama.

Katie Porter has worked as a Consumer Protection Attorney for nearly twenty years, fighting corporate interests and advocating on behalf of the American consumer. Porter has the support of former President Obama, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA).

Colin Allred is an attorney and former linebacker for the Tennessee Titans. He worked in the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Obama Administration, in both the General Counsel and Inspector General’s offices. Allred is challenging eleven-term incumbent Rep. Pete Sessions, and has the endorsement of former President Obama.

Jennifer Wexton is currently serving in the Virginia State Senate, where she represents the 33rd district and is known for her bipartisanship. In the VA State Senate, Wexton has championed legislation addressing gun control, sexual and domestic violence, and the opioid epidemic.