3 gay Jews elected to Congress
Barney Frank, Jared Polis retain seats while mayor of Providence, David Cicilline, to begin first term
WASHINGTON – Three openly gay Jewish candidates have been elected to the US House of Representatives and will begin their terms in January 2011: Long-time Massachusetts legislator Barney Frank, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, David Cicilline, and Colorado's Jared Polis.
Five Jewish candidates lost their seats in Tuesday's midterm elections, while one Jewish female candidate joined the House of Representatives. Ron Klein and Allen Grayson of Florida, Steve Kagan of Wisconsin and John Adler of New Jersey will be stepping down as Nan Hayworth of New York enters the house.
However, the most notable achievement on the Jewish front is the expected appointment of Eric Cantor, the only Republican Jewish congressman, as majority leader at the House of Representatives after John Boehner assumes his position as speaker of the house.
Democratic Jewish Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin will be ending his 18-year tenure while Attorney General of Connecticut Richard Blumenthal will join the Senate's Democratic faction.
The America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) announced Wednesday that "It is abundantly clear that the 112th Congress will continue America's long tradition of staunch support for a strong, safe and secure Israel and an abiding friendship between the United States and our most reliable ally in the Middle East."
AIPAC said that most of Israel's supporters have been reelected.
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