Bagels and Ballots- Thursday

By Maia Efrem September 23, 2010

Race to Watch: Illinois congressional candidates Bob Dold and Dan Seals faced off in a debate Wednesday night, answering questions about Social Security and the economy, and taking jabs at each other the whole way through. Republican Dold criticized Democrat Seals for supporting tax increases and changing his stance on the Bush tax cuts. Seals retorted with an accusation that Dold did not pay payroll taxes for campaign workers. Dold pointed out that the campaign workers were independent contractors who pay their own taxes under federal law, adding “You’re an independent contractor, don’t you know you have to pay taxes on that?” (Daily Herald)

They Come In Threes: Incumbent Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is Jewish, has a good track record when it comes to winning. She’s raised a lot of money, the South Florida demographics are in her favor and she usually wins with more than two-thirds of the vote. But that’s not stopping her opponents. Republican Karen Harrington criticizes Wasserman Schultz for wanting to prolong tax cuts to families earning less than $250,000 while increasing them for those making more. And two Jewish men – one socialist, one habitual candidate – have thrown their hats in the ring as well. (Sun Sentinel)

Wandering Jews: In Delaware County, Penn., congressional candidates Pat Meehan, a Republican, and Democrat Bryan Lentz received some help on the stump from Jewish politicians. Reps. Debbie Wassermann Schultz and Eric Cantor (R-Va.) came to the aid of the candidates in their respective parties. Wasserman Schultz may have to work her charm since Lentz has raised only about $786,000 compared to Meehan’s $1.1 million.

Stay Out of It: Amateur Clinton – Even consummate pol Bill Clinton can get it wrong on Israel, according to Anti-Defamation League chief Abe Foxman. Understanding the internal dynamics of the little country that’s playing a big role in U.S. midterm elections this season is not always Clinton’s strong suit, Foxman suggested, calling the former president’s recent remarks about Russian Israelis “simplistic, but not racist.” In an interview with Foreign Policy Magazine, Clinton alluded to Russian Israelis as an obstacle to a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority. Given that Israel has a very “complex ethnic fabric,” Foxman said Clinton should leave the matter to Israeli politicians and sociologists. (Y Net News))

Maia Efrem is the former research editor and assistant to the editor and was also responsible for the Forward’s annual Salary Survey. Previously she served as the editor of Blognik Beat, a blog written by students who emigrated from or have ties to the Former Soviet Union. Maia is a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

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