WASHINGTON, DC, 24 April — Following the 2000 census, congressional redistricting is occurring throughout the United States, and Jewish members of Congress are said to be worried that this will affect their power — as Jewish membership in the House is considered the epicenter of Jewish political clout in Washington.
Jewish congressional members serve as a key advocacy bloc for Jewish concerns, such as foreign aid and, of course, Israel.
Now Jewish leaders fear that census redistricting could weaken seats held by Jewish Democrats in New York, Florida, Michigan and some predict, southern California.
The House now has 25 Jewish members, down from a high of 32 before the Republican takeover in 1994, which many Democrats believe resulted from Republican successes in the reapportionment after the 1990 census.
A lot of attention has been focused on New York, where one-fourth of America’s Jews reside. New York will lose two congressional seats next year for a total of 29.
Florida, home to the nation’s third-largest Jewish community, will gain two seats for a total of 25. But Florida Democrats say the Republicans have plans to split up districts with heavily Democratic populations.
Analysts say South Florida Democrats Representative Robert Waxler and Rep. Peter Deutsch fear they will lose their clout from Republican-controlled redistricting efforts.
“They’re specifically targeting Jews,” said Jeffrey Garcia, a Democratic political consultant in Florida. “They are going to try to hurt them by putting Waxler and Deutsch together in the same district.”
“The Republicans will try to use the redistricting to the detriment of any Democrats, including Jewish members’ said Rep. Martin Frost, a Jewish Democrat from Texas, and who is part of the national redistricting project.
“I am not suggesting that it is directed at members because they are Jewish, but several of them are in states that are losing population and there is pressure to eliminate seats,” he said.
Current Jewish Congressional members include eight from New York City, six from California, two from south Florida, and one each from Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
