By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – Two Jewish women are making big political waves. Marianne Williamson has announced she will oppose incumbent President Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primaries. U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) has formally declared her candidacy to succeed Michigan’s retiring Democratic senator Debbie Stabanow in an effort by Democrats to remain in control of the U.S. Senate.
Williamson ran in 2020 in the crowded field from which Biden emerged as a frontrunner following the South Carolina primary. An author of 13 books, four of which were number one New York Times bestsellers, Williamson wasn’t taken seriously by the networks that cover, and thereby influence, the primary election process.
However, thus far, she is the only one of Biden’s former Democratic debate opponents to declare her candidacy, and if this results in a head-to-head match, news media outlets are bound to take her more seriously. If, per chance, she should outpoll Biden in any of the early state primaries, media coverage would intensify.
In such a case, reporters will look deeply into Williamson’s roller-coaster life, try to explain her spiritual journey that started with Conservative Judaism and continued through a Unity movement in which she preached that God loves and wants all of us to succeed. Although she credits Helen Shucman’s Christian-oriented A Course in Miracles for her spiritual awakening, Williamson self-identifies as a Jew.
Of course, if Biden were to falter in the early primaries, other Democrats might be encouraged to jump into the race, figuring that they might be more popular alternatives than Williamson.
In her last presidential campaign which began in January 2019 and ended in January 2020, Williamson called for the creation of a Cabinet-level Department of Peace, favored a ban on assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, supported abortion rights, and criticized then-President Trump for separating migrant families, calling it “no different” than some of Adolf Hitler’s policies in Nazi Germany. She spoke in favor of a two-state solution in which Israel’s security is guaranteed, and Palestinians are assured human rights, economic opportunities and dignity. She has said the U.S. should not recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, nor approve Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Meanwhile, upon news that Stabenow, 72, will not seek reelection, but wants to hand the torch to a new generation of leadership, Slotkin, 46, announced her candidacy for the Senate seat. She currently is in her third term in the House of Representatives. Prior to running for Congress, Slotkin served in the Central Intelligence Agency and later as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs under President Barack Obama. Having studied at the American University in Cairo, Slotkin speaks Arabic.
Raised on a farm in Holly, Michigan, Slotkin’s family was in the meat business, known especially for the development of Ball Park Franks before that company became a Tyson Foods brand.
In Congress, Slotkin voted in favor of President Trump’s impeachment, a gutsy decision because Trump had carried her district back in the 2016 election. Although her vote generated many protests from constituents, she was reelected in 2020 and again in 2022.
Last year, Slotkin was endorsed by Republican Liz Cheney with whom she appeared at what was billed as “An Evening for Patriotism and Bipartisanship.” While other Democrats were losing in swing districts – resulting in Republicans regaining control of the House of Representatives this year – Slotkin made it safely back to Congress.
She serves on the Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities, as well as on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. She also is a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, in which Democrats and Republicans have pledged to work together on issues facing the American public.
Slotkin favors abortion rights, stronger gun control laws, a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, and opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
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Two Jewish Democrats in Congress—U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs of San Diego and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon – have joined Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii in urging President Joe Biden to preclude federal agencies such as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security from assisting anti-abortion states to surveille women’s medical records.
In a joint letter, they wrote, “As part of the Administration’s efforts to protect access to abortion and other reproductive health care, we ask that you take all necessary steps to ensure federal resources in no way aid or supplement criminal investigations of reproductive health decisions. Specifically, we ask that the Administration examine ways existing forms of federal assistance could be used to support state and local abortion surveillance and investigations, including assistance administered through the FBI and DHS.
“Additionally, we ask that you consider approaches to restrict state and local law enforcement from using federal assistance for these purposes, including limiting the class of investigations for which agencies provide federal assistance, creating new rules or conditions to access resources, or instituting new prohibitions on the use of federal resources to support abortion-related investigations.”
In another initiative, Jacobs drew attention to her push for federal assistance for childcare. She called upon American families to put pressure on Republicans in the House of Representatives to address the issue.
“Too many families can’t find or afford care that meets their needs,” she commented at a Washington D.C. event. “In San Diego, the average annual cost for child care for one infant in a licensed center is more than $19,000. It could cost more than $33,000 for two children! For low and middle-income families, that’s crazy and so far out of reach. And that’s if you’re lucky enough to find a childcare spot.
“Last year in San Diego, about 3 in 4 parents said they had trouble finding childcare in their area. It’s scary to think that even in one of the wealthiest communities in the country, people can’t find or afford childcare. Because if this is such a pervasive problem in my district, just imagine the pain that families across the country are feeling – especially in low-income and rural communities.”
Williamson, Slotkin, and Jacobs. Agree with these women or not, each of them is making a difference as we embark upon March as Women’s History Month.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com