Rep. Cohen Wins Primary Despite Inappropriate Attacks

Jewish Rep. Steve Cohen—he of the House resolution condemning slavery and Jim Crow laws that we covered recently—has overcome his opponent Nikki Tinker and her advertising attacks to win the Democratic primary in Tennessee's Ninth District. The district's tiny Republican contingent means the primary victory guarantees him his seat. What made the primary so contentious were two ads that Tinker ran in the days leading up to the vote. One attempts to connect Rep. Cohen to the KKK by describing how he voted against removing an antiquated park statue, followed by a "Who is the real Steve Cohen?" challenge. The other ad, according to JTA, implies "that Cohen's religion made him an outsider in the district": While Cohen visits "our churches, clapping his hands and tapping his feet,” the ad said, “he’s the only senator who thought...

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Jewish Rep. Sponsors House Resolution Apologizing for Slavery, Jim Crow

Just when you thought we were finished with Jewish/African-American issues... The House of Representatives voted yesterday to pass a resolution issuing a formal apology to African-Americans for slavery and Jim Crow segregation, and the sponsor of the bill? None other than the Jewish Democratic congressman from a mostly black constituency in Memphis, Steve Cohen. There's no need to go too far into this, so let's just interactively pat Rep. Cohen on the back. Photo by merfam. —Benjamin Schuman-Stoler

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