A Jewish senator, another Jewish senator

Benjamin Cardin's campaign started at Rockville's Bnai Israel synagogue, not far from home. Cardin, known as Ben, arrived there about a week ago to seek the votes he would have received anyway.

Cardin is not tall, wears glasses and is balding. An unglamorous sort. But in a week, there will be a new member of the U.S. Senate. The senator from Maryland. Cardin is leading polls over his Republican rival, Michael Steele - a black candidate who hoped for victory from Maryland's large black constituency - but who will chiefly be remembered after the elections for an amusing television ad in which he espoused his love of dogs. Sober, uncharismatic - almost anti-charismatic - Cardin will beat him, apparently also getting the majority of the black vote, who prefer a Democrat over a black Republican.

Cardin did not have to work hard at the synagogue. He is well-known as a legislator, is Jewish and a Democrat - politically well-suited to the audience. There is no reason for them not to vote for him. Not because of his religious affiliation, of course, but because of the content. Nonetheless, the listeners' pleasure is evident: a Jewish senator. Another Jewish senator. In a Washington Post profile last week, Cardin's religion was in the first paragraph. Sometimes, the paper reported, he bakes his own challah on Fridays. Sometimes he roasts the chicken.

The more impressive the Democratic victory in the elections is, the larger the number of Jews in Congress will be. Cardin is one of two who may join the Senate, but many may join the ranks of the House of Representatives - today there are 25 Jewish Representatives, almost all are Democrats.

There are twenty Jewish candidates in these elections, and only two of them are Republicans. One, in a particularly interesting Minnesota race, will apparently lose to the first Muslim Congressman. And many Jewish leaders support the Muslim, Keith Ellison, who has promised to visit Israel after he is elected.

Cardin, when he is elected, will join a Senate that already has a minyan, although they are not organized into any official group. Senate tradition does not encourage assembly on an ethnic basis. In the House, the Jews allow themselves a more organized association, which does not translate into bloc voting on every subject, not even on questions relating to Israel.

Cardin opposed sending soldiers to Iraq, but some of his Jewish counterparts in the House disagreed. California congressman Henry Waxman voted in favor of the bill allowing the president to use force in Iraq. Last Friday, Waxman participated in a conference call of pro-Israel legislators and argued that he voted out of fear of a nuclear Iraq, a fear the administration took great care to feed at the time. Now, Waxman said, it is clear the administration misled the public and as a result of the war, Israel is also in greater danger from a stronger Iran.

That call, in which House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi participated, was also slated to calm fears that Democratic support for Israel was waning. That worry is based in part on polls indicating clearly that Democratic voters' support for Israel is lower than that of their Republican counterparts. This has led during this election to a Republican Jewish Coalition campaign that claims that those who love Israel do not have to vote Democrat.

The call was a response to that campaign. Congressman Steve Israel responded to a question from Alon from Silver Spring, Maryland - a potential Cardin voter: "Any recent initiative to express support for Israel has won enthusiastic support from Democrats." A fact with which it is hard to argue.

But a Republican activist pointed out on Friday that it was not a question of what has happened, but what will happen. "The trends we see in polls of Democratic voters will eventually reach the House of Representatives."

More American politics on Rosner's Domain:

The end of the third term.

Mid-term Diary: On the mid-terms, the Mideast, the Jewish voters and Israel.

The Israel Factor: Ranking the American Presidential candidates.