Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

(JNS) — Pro-Israel America announced 30 congressional endorsements for the 2022 election cycle on Tuesday.

The bipartisan PAC endorsed 15 Democrats and 15 Republicans in total, which the group says are “proven leaders on issues related to the U.S.-Israel relationship and who are running for re-election next year.”

Pro-Israel America endorsed 12 Senate candidates, including Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Ind.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The group also endorsed 18 House candidates, including Reps. Colin Allred (D-Texas), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Kay Granger (R-Texas), John Katko (R-N.Y.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) and Susan Wild (D-Pa.).

The endorsements come amid the backdrop of Israel’s recent 11-day conflict with Hamas that saw several progressive members of the Democratic Party accuse Israel of becoming an “apartheid state,” as well as committing war crimes and human-rights violations against the Palestinians. Additionally, progressive members of the Democratic Party called for conditioning U.S. aid to Israel over its policies towards the Palestinians.

“Last month’s Hamas terrorist rocket attacks into Israel demonstrate how critical our mission to strengthen and advance the U.S.-Israel relationship in Congress remains,” said Pro-Israel America Executive Director Jeff Mendelsohn. “That’s why today, Pro-Israel America is proud to announce 30 endorsed candidates who understand that a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is a force for good in the world and to begin our work to support their elections as they enter the 2022 cycle.”

The 30 candidates for Congress in 2022 follow Pro-Israel America’s recent endorsements of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), and the 2021 special election endorsement of Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), who is running in the open-seat Ohio 11th district congressional race.

The group said it will be making additional endorsements or pro-Israel candidates in the upcoming weeks.

According to Pro-Israel America, it helped to elect 70 pro-Israel members of Congress in 2020, including 39 Democrats and 21 Republicans. More than 90 percent of Pro-Israel America’s endorsed candidates in the November 2020 elections won their congressional races. In total, Pro-Israel America raised $3 million-plus for pro-Israel candidates in the 2020 election cycle.