J Street Hires Former Obama Official As Political Director

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — J Street has hired a former senior Obama administration official to serve as its national political director.
Aaron Davis worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, in its Congressional Affairs Division for five years.
The liberal Jewish Middle East lobby announced the hiring on Tuesday.
Davis will oversee JStreetPAC’s efforts to elect J Street-endorsed candidates to Congress in the 2018 midterm elections.
Prior to joining FEMA, he held several positions on Capitol Hill, including as legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa.
Davis succeeds Ben Shnider, who is running for a seat on the Montgomery County Council in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.
In 2016, JStreetPAC raised an organizational record of over $3.5 million and endorsed 126 candidates.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
