Candidates for U.S. Senator respond

With permission to reprint from Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and Washington Jewish Week, this is a recent Q&A with candidates for the U.S. Senate, Senator Tim Kaine and Hung Cao. Printed are the candidates’ responses to two questions that are of interest to the statewide Jewish community.
Visit www.JewishVA.org/Election24 to access the candidates’ responses to all the questions posed.
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Antisemitism has reached an unprecedented level in the United States; what do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is, and how will you fulfill that role?

We have seen an alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the wake of October 7th. Religious freedom has long been the bedrock of who we are as Americans. As someone who takes my own faith very seriously, I am determined to fight back against the evils of hatred. I am pleased to be a member of the Senate Bipartisan Caucus on Antisemitism, co-led by Senators Jacky Rosen and Jim Lankford. In 2022, I successfully urged the Biden Administration to develop a national strategy to combat antisemitism. We must embrace a whole-of-government response to antisemitism by working to implement the recommendations contained in the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism announced by the Biden Administration in June 2023. Senator Warner and I also wrote to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to ask the Department to use its resources and influence to do more to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia on college campuses. And in the wake of the recent disturbing rise in antisemitism, I urged the DHS and FBI to do more to combat hate. I also helped pass the National Security Supplemental earlier this year, which included $400 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to provide security improvements and training to organizations and places of worship, including Jewish institutions. Finally, I also believe in highlighting not just the darkness but also the light. I am proud to have joined Senator Bill Hagerty on a bipartisan measure posthumously awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to a group of 60 diplomats from some two dozen countries that used their influence to help Jews escape Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. Religious freedom is a fundamental American principle, and we must never stop fighting for a society where people of different religious faiths can live in the same neighborhoods, attend the same schools, work side by side, and do so as friends — without fear of religious discrimination.

As we approach a year since the October 7th massacre, what role do you think Congress should play in the Israel-Hamas war and its resolution?

The acts of terror on October 7th were horrific. For the last nine months, I’ve worked with Democrats, Republicans, and the administration to ensure that Israel has the support it needs. At the same time, much more must be done to protect civilian life in Gaza. That’s why I’ve pushed to prevent civilian casualties, supported the safe and swift delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and advocated for finding long-term solutions that allow Palestinian and Israeli communities to live alongside each other in peace. We must secure both a hostage release deal and a ceasefire to put an end to the immense suffering in the region.

Antisemitism has reached an unprecedented level in the United States; what do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is, and how will you fulfill that role?

This is what has become of our country under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Never did I think I would see vicious antisemitic rioting in America like we have seen in recent months and years. Let me be clear: Jewish Americans have the right to live free from harassment, and Israel has the right to defend itself. Congress must stand by our ally and remind our Jewish friends and neighbors that we will not tolerate antisemitism in any form, and when I’m elected to the U.S. Senate, I promise to support Israel in every way possible, as I did in uniform. In 2003, one of my team’s missions was to respond to any possible SCUD attack from Iraq during our initial invasion. Sadly, my opponent Tim Kaine thinks pro-Hamas, pro-Hezbollah rioters have a point and a voice that needs to be heard. I completely disagree.

As we approach a year since the October 7th massacre, what role do you think Congress should play in the Israel-Hamas war and its resolution?

The United States has provided Israel with a lot of support for many years and it is more important than ever to continue to support Israel in every way that we can. We have always been friends of Israel through the Iron Dome and in return, they have provided us with critical intelligence from the region. Israel is the ONLY Jewish state in the world. Israel has never asked for a single American to come on their land to protect them. They only ask that we stand by them. Israel’s equivalent of 9/11 came on their Sabbath and the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. The world watched in horror as Hamas launched its latest reign of terror, launching upwards of 5,000 rockets into Israel and killing thousands of men, women, and children. It’s Congress’ responsibility to ensure we continue to partner with them, while also shoring up our military resources and securing our border.

Election Day is near, be prepared

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater has compiled an Election 2024 toolkit to educate, engage, and inform Tidewater voters about ‘all things’ election. It offers information on how to check voter registration status, find a polling place, determine what district to vote in, information about candidates, and more. Visit www.JewishVA.org/Election24 and be ready to make informed decisions on November 5, 2024.