Israel Matzav

Self-hating Jew to run for Congress in California

Moonbat Marcy Winograd, who twice challenged outgoing Representative Jane Harman (D-Cal) for the party's nomination and lost, is likely to run again for Harman's seat now that Harman is retiring, unless she concludes that Secretary of State Debra Bowen is sufficiently anti-Israel.

Winograd told Hotline On Call her chief concerns are whether a Rep. Bowen would join the Out of Afghanistan Caucus and the Progressive Caucus in the House and whether she'd be willing to lead a peace delegation to Palestine.

"Right now we're seeing worldwide upheaval in the Middle East, and we need leaders who are going to pursue peace in an honest, forthright way," said Winograd. "I haven't heard back from her on those issues."

Winograd indicated after Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn announced her candidacy last week that she wanted a more progressive alternative in the race, and was particularly concerned about Hahn's support for Israel.

"Any one of us would be a big improvement over the representation we have," Winograd said of her old nemesis Harman, whose last day in Congress is Tuesday before she leaves to head the Woodrow Wilson Center. "The last thing we need is someone who's going to be a loyal soldier for [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee]. We need critical thinkers in Washington."

Winograd, who received 41 percent against Harman last June, said she's still "seriously considering" running and is being heavily encouraged by her supporters to get into the special election. She noted she still has high name recognition in the district, and it was "almost as though I never quit running." The high school English teacher lives just seven blocks outside the district, but state law doesn't require a candidate to live within the boundaries, and the district's lines will shift in redistricting.

"My decision will be based on what I hear in the platform of the candidates," said Winograd.

And while she reserved her judgment on Bowen's candidacy for Congress for now -- even noting she had hosted a fundraiser for her reelection last year -- Winograd did say she'd rather see Bowen stay as secretary of state.

Under California's bizarre open primary system, all candidates from both parties run together and the top two advance. So we could end up seeing Winograd running against a Democrat in the general election unless Mattie Fein runs and finishes in the top two (GO MATTIE!).

J Street must be jumping for joy.

Labels: California 36, Debra Bowen, Jane Harman, Marcy Winograd, Mattie Fein

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:27 PM