Republican Jewish Coalition conference evokes politicians' concerns over Middle East policies

Buoyed by GOP victories, the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership conference — a key stop for potential 2024 presidential candidates and other party luminaries — held in Las Vegas over the weekend offered a model for the party’s midterm strategy.

“This is an incredible day, an amazing turnout, incredible amount of energy,” RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks told reporters. “The results from Tuesday, it’s got everybody excited… And we’re thrilled to be able to bring people together to continue… to build on the increasing support for the Republican Party within the Jewish community.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) addresses R.J.C. conf.

Among the popular speakers at the conference — garnering the most and loudest applause — were former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Ted Cruz and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. Sen. Cruz praised Pres.Trump but emphasized his own role in some of the former president’s signature foreign policy moves — relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and pulling out of the Iran deal, decisions that are highly popular with the RJC crowd.

The Texas senator said that some officials in the Trump administration opposed both moves, but he helped convince the former president to ignore those who disagreed.

“I engaged actively, directly and repeatedly with the president,” Cruz said of his advocacy on the embassy issue. “I urged the president, I said, ‘Look, if we want to see peace, nothing produces peace more than clarity, than absolute clarity.’” (source: Jewish Insider)

Sen. Ted Cruz explains the problems with this Democrat administration's approach towards MidEast peace. The Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting hosted Republican leaders at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

We ask Sen. Cruz why does the Biden administration strive to undo MidEast peace and Trump era de-nuclearizing of Islamist Iran? Is the Biden Democrat administration just undoing Trump administration accomplishments or intentionally empowering Iran over Israel as the regional hegemon, forcing Israel to defy Washington's imposed limitations?

  

On the Iran deal, Cruz stressed his role in supporting the withdrawal from the 2015 agreement. “Once again I repeatedly went to the president in the Oval Office saying sending billions of dollars to the Ayatollah Khamenei who chants ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ is a recipe for destruction and death,” Cruz said.  (Journalist Marc Rod contributed to this article).

Rubio & Kasich's own state primaries vital on route from R.J.C. to A.I.P.A.C.

The campaigns of Republican presidential candidates Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio face ironic challenges- to win among their own state constituents- in the March 15th primaries. 

Kasich confident after strong finish in Michigan, by Jim Provance, Toledo Blade March 9.

Voicing confidence after his good finish in Michigan on Tuesday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential aspirations now rest on his home state on March 15. He hopes to carry Ohio’s 66 delegates as a badge of honor into remaining primary states, and perhaps a contested Cleveland convention. Read more

John Kasich and Marco Rubio face Judgment Day in their home states on March 15. Both are losing. By Peter W. Stevenson, Washington Post, 4 March 2016

Florida and Ohio are almost always two of the most hotly contested states in American presidential politics — in November, not in March. Or at least, not until March 2016, when Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio desperately need to win their home states in order to stay in the race to the GOP nomination.

We hearken back to the Republican Jewish Coalition Spring gathering where, for the past 2 years, John Kasich and Marco Rubio where introduced to Jewish Republicans (among other candidates) for support.

Watch Stop-Iran Rally from Capitol Hill, Washington and Times Square, New York

Watch video from Stop-Iran Rally on Capitol Hill, Washington which features Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz; Mort Klein; former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore; conservative talk show host Mark Levin; radio host Glenn Beck; David Bossie, president of Citizens United; Breitbart's Noah Pollak, and U.S. Reps. Dave Brat of Virginia, Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma, Trent Franks of Arizona and Mike Pompeo of Kansas.



Video from gathering of over 10,000 protesters from Times Square on July 22nd- with Alan Dershowitz, James Woolsey, N.Y. Gov. George Pataki, and Col. Allen West, among others.