Posted on 05/21/2003 9:47:49 PM PDT by LdSentinal
None of the Democrats challenging, or thinking about challenging, Democratic Rep. Jim Moran is talking about anti-Semitism, Israel or the fact that the challengers smell blood in the water.
But it's anti-Semitism -- or Moran's perceived insensitivity to a key Democratic constituency -- that has made their candidacies even thinkable.
The seven-term Virginia congressman has never had a primary challenge. Today, barely three months since he publicly blamed Jews for leading the nation to war with Iraq, Moran is facing four possible contenders.
And all of them are steering clear of the 800-pound gorilla.
"I'm absolutely not running because of anything that Jim Moran's done," said Melissa Martin, who runs the charity Champions of Hope: "I think that is what is somewhat different about me. . . . It's just not that important to the vision I want to paint for voters."
Some rivals have alluded to Moran's comments, which provoked outrage among many Democrats on Capitol Hill. But no one on the campaign trail is talking about a fellow Democrat's conjuring up fears of a Jewish lobby manipulating foreign policy.
Andy Rosenberg, for example, said he would bring "the right style and the right temperament" to Congress if he's elected to serve the 8th Congressional District.
Rosenberg, a lawyer at Patton Boggs who announced his bid late last week, said Moran's "comments have called into question how effective he can be at representing the whole district."
Rosenberg added: "It's a different thing to say I'm running against him because of the things he said than I think there's an opportunity to run against him."
Larry Byrne, husband of Virginia Sen. Leslie Byrne, who has formed an exploratory committee, said his wife is meeting with Jewish groups, among others.
Jewish groups and Democrats in Washington have yet to coalesce around any of the candidates, including Moran.
The Washington PAC, a political action committee that supports pro-Israel candidates, is backing Katherine Hanley, chairwoman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
"She has the best chance of winning," said Morris Amitay, the group's head and a former executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
None of the six Democrats who signed a letter calling on Moran not to seek another term in light of his March 3 remarks has publicly endorsed any of the challengers.
"I don't think he'll get involved in the primary," said Phil Schiliro, spokesman for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), one of the signers.
For now, Moran's not talking about the race, said his spokesman, Dan Drummond. Drummond called Moran a friend of Israel. "He supports a balanced approach to issues in the Middle East, and he wants to see the cycle of violence end."
Moran had nearly $157,000 in his campaign war chest as of March 31, according to his Federal Election Commission report for the first quarter of 2003.
Martin said she received her first $1,000 Monday. She added that she expects to reel in $50,000 from 500 or so donors in the next six weeks, at which time she'll announce her campaign.
None of the challengers has filed financial statements with the FEC, meaning no one has raised $5,000.
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