There’s a regular (and usually lengthy) meeting I attend of folks who follow the Senate and House races this year. Although I usually learn a lot from these experts—and that’s what they genuinely are—they have a tendency to dismiss and not want to talk about races they think are longshots or just possible upsets. This tends to follow a pattern of dismissing pretty much any discussion of races not on the printed sheet they hand out of the races “in play.” So when I have mentioned Republican Allen West, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and Republican nominee in Florida’s 22nd U.S. House district, the response is usually yawns and remarks such as “He’s trying to see us.”
Democrat Ron Klein unseated 26-year Republican Rep. Clay Shaw, they argue, so how can a political novice such as first-time office-seeker West unseat the now-incumbent Klein? The group was not impressed with the fact that West, who is African-American, has lined up much of Shaw’s old organization and wrapped up the GOP nod without opposition.
Well, now, the “experts” may change their mind and take another look at West and Florida—22. The best reason for this “second look” is offered by Klein himself. Last Thursday (July 24th), the president of the Zionist Organization of America, one of America’s the most respected of Jewish-American organizations, called ZOA South Florida organization chairman Alan Bergstein and gave him an ultimatum: stop his volunteer work for West or resign from his ZOA post. According to the West campaign, “it was made clear to Bergstein that Ron Klein was necessary to pass congressional legislation important to ZOA and to Israel. ZOA has an obligation to its membership to ensure that their issues are considered, so the national office clearly felt it had no choice but to deliver the message to Mr. Bergstein.”
Think about it for a minute, experts: if Klein is sending a signal for someone to do give an ultimatum to a campaign volunteer for West, does it not follow that he is somewhat concerned about the Republican challenger?
In March, ZOA had arranged a joint appearance between Klein and West. Two days before the scheduled event, Klein said he was unable to attend and asked ZOA to cancel the event. The group refused, the event was held, Allen West did speak, and it was very well-attended.
And Bergstein? Upset that (in his words) “a Jewish congressman has to threaten Israel and world Jewry by whining over one person’s activities, Bergstein chose the better part of valor, resigned his position with ZOA, and will work hard on the West campaign.
I have passed the report of the ZOA and West on to others, including the Republican Jewish Coalition and Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the lone Jewish Republican in the House. Their response will be interesting—as will those of the political “experts” the next time we review the races.
Democrat Ron Klein unseated 26-year Republican Rep. Clay Shaw, they argue, so how can a political novice such as first-time office-seeker West unseat the now-incumbent Klein? The group was not impressed with the fact that West, who is African-American, has lined up much of Shaw’s old organization and wrapped up the GOP nod without opposition.
Well, now, the “experts” may change their mind and take another look at West and Florida—22. The best reason for this “second look” is offered by Klein himself. Last Thursday (July 24th), the president of the Zionist Organization of America, one of America’s the most respected of Jewish-American organizations, called ZOA South Florida organization chairman Alan Bergstein and gave him an ultimatum: stop his volunteer work for West or resign from his ZOA post. According to the West campaign, “it was made clear to Bergstein that Ron Klein was necessary to pass congressional legislation important to ZOA and to Israel. ZOA has an obligation to its membership to ensure that their issues are considered, so the national office clearly felt it had no choice but to deliver the message to Mr. Bergstein.”
Think about it for a minute, experts: if Klein is sending a signal for someone to do give an ultimatum to a campaign volunteer for West, does it not follow that he is somewhat concerned about the Republican challenger?
In March, ZOA had arranged a joint appearance between Klein and West. Two days before the scheduled event, Klein said he was unable to attend and asked ZOA to cancel the event. The group refused, the event was held, Allen West did speak, and it was very well-attended.
And Bergstein? Upset that (in his words) “a Jewish congressman has to threaten Israel and world Jewry by whining over one person’s activities, Bergstein chose the better part of valor, resigned his position with ZOA, and will work hard on the West campaign.
I have passed the report of the ZOA and West on to others, including the Republican Jewish Coalition and Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the lone Jewish Republican in the House. Their response will be interesting—as will those of the political “experts” the next time we review the races.
John Gizzi is Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS.
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