 and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) have expressed strong commitment to Maryland’s Jewish community and Israel. But where do they differ?){kind=link}
Zoe Bell and Jillian Diamond | Staff Writers
Both candidates in Maryland’s U.S. Senate race — Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) — have expressed strong commitment to Maryland’s Jewish community and Israel.
Yet there are many key policy areas in which they differ. Jewish voters will weigh these differences when they head to the polls this November — and the impact of this election is expected to be felt nationwide, as it will help determine whether the Senate will have a Democratic or Republican majority.
According to Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, Israel has shifted to the forefront of Jewish voters’ minds in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“I believe that among Jews who are politically conservative and moderate and Orthodox, Israel will play an elevated role where it will be a more prioritized issue than it has ever been before,” Halber said. “And I think it’s also fair to say that among a significant percentage of non-Orthodox, Democratic Jews, Israel will be high on their priority list as to how they vote … They want to see as close as possible an ideological heir of Sen. [Ben] Cardin, who is one of the strongest supporters of Israel in U.S. Senate history.”
“Overwhelmingly, over 90 percent of American Jews support Israel’s right to defend itself and support Israel in this war,” Halber said, adding that many are seeking the candidate who most strongly backs Israel. In his view, the ideal candidate for Senate is one who doesn’t place conditions on aid to Israel, opposes weapons restrictions, backs Israel against condemnation and keeps any criticism of Israel private.
On Israel
Both Hogan and Alsobrooks have expressed support for Israel and affirmed the country’s right to defend itself from attacks. They each communicated their wishes for a safe return of the hostages being held by Hamas, and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
But the nature of this support differs between them. Hogan has gone all-in on Israel, telling The Washington Post in March that he would be Maryland’s “pro-Israel champion,” citing policy he implemented as the state’s governor. In 2017, he signed an executive order prohibiting Maryland from doing business with companies boycotting Israeli goods and companies.
Hogan has also criticized President Joe Biden’s position on the situation in Israel and Gaza, stating that the White House putting pressure on Israel and the Netanyahu administration will cost him some Jewish support in the upcoming presidential election.
“It’s a tough humanitarian crisis. We don’t want to see all this suffering. I think everyone would like to see an end come to this, but the atrocities of Oct. 7 can’t be forgiven. You can’t let Hamas off the hook, so [Israel] needs to finish the job,” Hogan said recently at an event at the Essen Room in Pikesville.
Alsobrooks, on the other hand, has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution. She has expressed concern for both Israel and Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and hopes that a two-state solution could provide a better future for both parties.
“We were heartened to hear that four of the hostages were reunited with their families, but there are still others, and Israel has a right to defend itself,” Alsobrooks said of the Israel Defense Forces’ recent operation which resulted in four hostages being rescued. “We share the goal of not only returning the hostages, but a ceasefire, where we can see peace and safety for the Israelis and for the Palestinians.”
Another key area where the two Senate candidates differ is on Maryland’s other senator, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D). Van Hollen has taken a far more critical stance on the U.S.’ support for Israel, calling for a ceasefire and a release of the hostages in January.
Hogan has disavowed Van Hollen, supporting a campaign by over 70 Maryland rabbis where they accused Van Hollen of spreading false information on Israel.
However, Van Hollen is one of Alsobrooks’ strongest endorsers, alongside Cardin, a strong supporter of Israel. Alsobrooks said that she is grateful for Van Hollen’s support, and while their opinions do differ, this difference has enabled a healthy dialogue between them.
On Antisemitism
Similarly, both candidates have strongly condemned the rise in antisemitism. In late October, Hogan withdrew from two Harvard fellowships, citing “Harvard’s failure to immediately and forcefully denounce the anti-Semitic vitriol” in a letter he wrote to then-Harvard President Claudine Gay.
At a roundtable with Baltimore Jewish community leaders and Cardin on June 17, Alsobrooks spoke about how growing up in a Black family during the Civil Rights Movement gave her a unique perspective on the Jewish community and on the relationship between their two communities.
“It’s difficult for anyone who was born in the ‘70s to not have had the conversation about how the Jewish community and the African American community are special friends,” she said. “My parents instilled in me not only my own desire for justice and feeling that all people should live in a place where their lives are protected, but [the importance of] the Jewish community as friends and allies for many, many years.”
She sympathized with Jewish and Muslim community organizations that have experienced vandalism, citing a similar recent experience in which one of her campaign signs in Laurel was vandalized with the word “KKK” and a crosshairs drawn on her forehead.
“When my child sees antisemitism, it ought to affect her in the same way any other child would be affected when they see an act of racism or any other type of hatred happening,” Alsobrooks added.
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John Rydell contributed reporting to this story.