First Jewish Vice-President?

by Justin Cohen - Thursday 7th August 2008


While a new poll revealed has that John McCain remains the clear choice among Israelis for the White House, the presumptive Republican candidate for president was last weekend reported to be looking at a leading Jewish politician as a possible running mate as he attempts to maximise support across America.

Eric Cantor, the chief deputy minority whip in the House of Representatives - where he is currently the sole Jewish Republican - is said to feature on a shortlist which also includes former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

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The 45-year-old, who would be the country’s first vice-president if he join the Republican ticket and McCain was to win, has reportedly been asked to submit personal documents as part of a vetting process which is fast reaching its conclusion. “He’s bright, clean, conservative but not angry, and Jewish. “(He’s a) great fund-raiser and locks up Virginia for good measure,” a Republican source said of Cantor, who entered Congress in 2000.

A poll, meanwhile, has revealed that 38 percent of 499 Jewish Israelis questioned by the Keevoon Research, Strategy & Communications would favour a Mccain presidency compared for 31 percent for Obama, giving the Republican a significant lead. That, despite Obama having gained significant ground since a poll by the same organisation in May before Hillary Clinton withdrew from the race.

However, selecting a Jewish vice-presidential candidate could serve to bolster support from the community at home where he appears to be trailing his Democratic rival by a large margin – a poll earlier this year from Gallup suggested American Jews would vote for Obama over McCain by 61 percent to 32 percent.

But it is not just among Jews that the selection of Cantor, who is a supporter of Israel in Congress, could be well received . Virginia, which he represents in the House, is a key battleground state in what looks set to be a closely fought presidential contest, while Cantor is also likely to attract the support of the more conservative elements of the party who have been less than convinced about McCain’s stance on some issues.

If selected, Cantor would be hoping to go one step further than Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran alongside Al Gore in 2000.

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