Jewish voters face a conundrum in midterm elections

While almost every federal election is generally perceived as “the most important election the American people have ever faced.” this year’s midterm elections should accurately be described as one of the most confusing and potentially dangerous ever faced by Jewish Americans.

For starters, there have never been so many candidates in this year’s national, state and local elections who believe the elections are rigged and fraught with fraud. These candidates and their supporters are continuing to persist, in spite of the overwhelming evidence and judicial determinations to the country, that Donald Trump defeated Joe Biden for the presidency in 2020.

Compounding the confusion and danger, are the extreme positions and “take-no-prisoners” attitude of the extreme left and the extreme right. Each faction is respectively increasing its significance in numbers and influence in the Republican and Democratic parties.

Political campaigns and candidates have always played with the truth and misrepresentation of their opponent’s qualifications, background and integrity to hold office. Although this is one of the common shortcomings of the political process in a democracy, this year’s crop of candidates seem to have brought it to a new crescendo of intensity.

Unlike previous elections, this election is shaping up to propel and compel candidate selection to political office, who may in fact may be less inclined to exercise power consistent with democratic values and the national interest.

Political campaigns are suppose to be civil and intelligent arguments on the issues and in the accurate portrayal of each candidate’s qualifications and integrity. Elections are supposed to be the collective choices by the American people. The resultant decisions of the voters are expected to be accepted and respected by the American people until the next election.

None of these three healthy phases of the political process is likely to occur in this political year. There are forces at play already prepared to contest election results as rigged; that votes altering election results were procured by fraud or ineligible voters; and that certain groups or individuals played a sinister role in these rigged or fraudulent outcomes. Guess who might become a scapegoat to these spurious allegations?

In this hostile and less than ideal political climate lurks the ugly fact of increased antisemitism by both the extreme right and the extreme left, and compelling the Jewish Americans into the conundrum of voting for candidates who, in a less polarized political environment, would never have seen their respective names appearing on the ballot.

Extreme right wing electoral victories will encourage the Jew haters to increase their attacks on Jewish institutions and Jewish individuals, because Jews generally favor racial equality and a softer approach to the immigration and refugee asylum issue. Extreme leftists will attack the Israel supporters for exercising their right to support successful right wing candidates that support a strong US -Israel relationship, raising all types of antisemitic and anti-zionist tropes about dual loyalty and the right of the State of Israel to exist along with the false issue of alleged oppression of the Palestinians.

Extreme left wing election victories will encourage these new political leaders, and their senior colleagues, along with their followers, to attack Jews and Israel on college campuses, increase support for BDS and to more vigorously question the legitimacy of Israel’s existence. Their victory will give them license to increase their antisemitic and anti-zionist tirades in the halls of Congress; and encourage the media to sanitize or ignore incidents and crimes against Jews.

I am not suggesting Jewish Americans shirk their responsibility to vote. I am suggesting we take a very sobering view that the conditions for increase antisemitism and diminished security for Jews in America is a real possibility in the months and years ahead. We love America and will always be loyal citizens. We must hope, pray and act so that in the future our love for America is not unrequited.

If you wish to comment or respond you can reach me at melpearlman322@gmail.com. Please do so in a rational, thoughtful, respectful and civil manner.

Mel Pearlman holds B.S. & M.S. degrees in physics as well as a J.D. degree and initially came to Florida in 1966 to work on the Gemini and Apollo space programs. He has practiced law in Central Florida since 1972. He has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando; was a charter board member, first vice president and pro-bono legal counsel of the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida, as well as holding many other community leadership positions.