Bagels and Ballots – Thursday
–Rahm Emanuel is still mulling a run in the Chicago mayoral race — one that could make him the city’s first Jewish mayor. He even met with potential opponent Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to talk about it last night: (Chicago Tribune)
-We’re keeping an eye on the three-way race for Florida’s senate seat. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll gives Republican candidate Marco Rubio a decisive lead: 40% over independent candidate Charlie Crist’s 26% and Kendrick Meek’s 21% among likely voters. Reuters attributes the numbers to the enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans. (Reuters)
-But many Jewish voters, enthusiastic or otherwise, will probably miss out on an upcoming Values Voter Summit — a faith-focused right-wing event that will feature Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich — because it’s being held on Yom Kippur. (The Huffington Post)
-Wisconsin’s Senate hopefuls are hammering out debate details, though Democrat Russ Feingold is crying foul about Republican Ron Johnson’s decision to hold three debates instead of six. (WisPolitics)
-Also in Wisconsin: Despite radio station WKOW’s requests, Feingold’s campaign isn’t pulling an advertisement that WKOW says includes clips he never gained permission to use. (WKOW)
-Everyone’s talking about Tea Party hero turned Delaware Republican senatorial candidate Christine O’Donnell: The Times says she grew up in New Jersey; campaigned against masturbation; has personal finance woes; “fudged” her achievements; and is staunchly anti-abortion. And a new poll gave her opponent Chris Coons an 11-point lead. (New York Times)
-Meanwhile, consummate Wilmingtonian Joe Biden — a former holder of that Senate seat — is getting ready to campaign for Coons: (USA Today)
-On MitzVote, Nathan Guttman wonders whether Tea Partiers O’Donnell and New York’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino are good for the Jews: (MitzVote)
A message from our editor-in-chief Jodi Rudoren
![](https://forward.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jodi-Headshot.jpg)
We're building on 127 years of independent journalism to help you develop deeper connections to what it means to be Jewish today.
With so much at stake for the Jewish people right now — war, rising antisemitism, a high-stakes U.S. presidential election — American Jews depend on the Forward's perspective, integrity and courage.
— Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief