Jewish News Today: Democrats Sweep US Midterms as El-Sayed Michigan Win Alarms Jewish Communities

Democrats have seized control of both chambers of the United States Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to Associated Press projections reported by the Forward and JTA, dealing a sweeping rebuke to President Donald Trump's Republican Party. The results carry significant implications for the Jewish diaspora and for US-Israel relations, with a clutch of races producing outcomes that have unsettled pro-Israel organisations across the political spectrum.

El-Sayed Wins Michigan Senate Seat in Result That Shocks Jewish Voters

The result drawing the most anxious attention from Jewish communities is Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's open US Senate seat. With 85 per cent of the expected vote counted, JNS reported El-Sayed had received 52 per cent of the vote against Republican Mike Rogers's 46 per cent. Jewish Republicans had described El-Sayed as the "most antisemitic" Senate candidate in the race; the Jewish Chronicle noted he had previously stated, "I think it's time for us to realise that Israel is actually not our friend."

The result was not straightforward for Jewish voters. An early exit poll cited by the Forward showed that nearly one in four Jewish voters in Michigan who had backed Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin in 2024 crossed party lines to vote for Republican Rogers rather than El-Sayed. The Forward described the race as one that had "strained Jewish relationships with the Democratic Party."

DSA Gains Seats; Progressive Wing Expands in the House

The Democratic Socialists of America picked up at least five House seats, according to unofficial results reported by the Forward. The organisation, which has been sharply critical of Israel, is expected to grow its influence within the Democratic Party's progressive wing. In a Florida special election, however, Republican Ashley Moody, described by both JTA and the Forward as a supporter of Israel, edged past DSA candidate Angie Nixon.

JNS commentator Jonathan Tobin wrote that "the rout of the GOP by a party now dominated by 'progressive' and antisemitic foes of the Jewish state will impact the alliance as well as American Jewish life for the worse," though that represents opinion rather than reported fact.

Jewish Politicians Secure Their Own Seats

Several prominent Jewish officeholders won re-election or new victories. Jewish Democrat Jon Ossoff held his Georgia US Senate seat, projected by JTA, with Ossoff warning in his victory speech about "forgetting the terrible lessons of two world wars and the Holocaust" — a remark JTA reported drew attention given he had been increasingly critical of Israel during his term. The Forward noted Ossoff is mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

In Ohio, Dr Amy Acton defeated former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to become what JNS described as Ohio's first Jewish governor. In Florida, JNS reported that Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz won easily in her redrawn district, with the Associated Press calling the race nine minutes after polls closed. Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz also held a Florida seat in a contest against Republican Scott Singer, the former mayor of Boca Raton, in what the Forward described as a battle between two staunchly pro-Israel politicians.

In New York's lower Hudson Valley, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler conceded to Democratic challenger Cait Conley after what the Forward called a fierce battle for the Jewish vote. New York Governor Kathy Hochul was re-elected by a wide margin, with JTA reporting she led 75 per cent to 25 per cent with 14 per cent of votes counted when the race was called. JNS quoted Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal saying Hochul's "understanding of the Jewish community is deeper than we've seen in many administrations."

In Georgia's state legislature, Jewish Democrat Esther Panitch, who the Forward noted had criticised her own party on Israel and antisemitism, won another term. Jewish politicians Josh Shapiro and JB Pritzker also won easily, according to the Forward.

Ballot Measures: Divestment Votes Raise Concern

Beyond candidate races, several ballot measures with direct implications for Israel passed on Tuesday. Voters in Providence, Rhode Island approved a measure that could result in the city divesting public funds from Israel, according to JTA, which described Providence as the largest municipality to vote in favour of Israel divestment. In Illinois, JNS reported that multiple communities passed nonbinding measures supporting anti-Israel boycotts, which JNS said form part of a broader state-level effort to repeal Illinois's anti-boycott law.

AIPAC and Jewish Organisations Respond to Shifting Landscape

Against this backdrop, AIPAC reaffirmed its support for the current US-Israel aid arrangement and backed new US-Israel security talks, JNS reported. JINSA President and CEO Michael Makovsky was quoted saying that President Trump's earlier statement about ending foreign aid to Israel "seemed to have caught everyone by surprise." The statements appeared designed to signal continuity of pro-Israel lobbying regardless of the new congressional balance.

Germany: Textbooks Praised on Holocaust, Criticised on Israel

Away from the US elections, a new report by IMPACT-se on German school textbooks found strong coverage of Jewish history and the Holocaust but uneven treatment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and insufficient attention to Israeli security concerns, JNS reported. The finding is relevant for Germany's Jewish community, which has long monitored how the country's educational system addresses both antisemitism and Israel.

Munich Synagogue Marks 20th Anniversary

The Israelitische Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern will hold a ceremony on 9 November to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Ohel-Jakob-Synagogue in Munich, the Jüdische Allgemeine reported. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Bavarian state premier Markus Söder and Bavarian state parliament president Ilse Aigner are expected to attend. The date — the anniversary of Kristallnacht — carries particular weight for the German Jewish community.

Bomb Scare on Israeli-Owned Cruise Ship Resolved

An Israeli-owned cruise ship carrying 900 passengers received a bomb threat while docked at the Greek port of Syros, the Jewish Chronicle reported. Bulgarian authorities subsequently stated that no flight from Israel was affected — correcting initial reports — and the ship was cleared after a search found no explosives, according to JNS. JNS added that bomb threats had disrupted at least seven flights across Europe.

What the Election Results Mean for the Jewish Diaspora

For Jewish communities in the UK, Germany and the United States, Tuesday's results present a complicated picture. The expansion of DSA representation and El-Sayed's Michigan victory signal that the Democratic Party's posture on Israel will face greater internal pressure from its left flank. At the same time, the re-election of Ossoff, Hochul, Panitch and others suggests that explicitly pro-Israel and Jewish voices retain significant electoral strength within the party. The Providence divestment vote and Illinois boycott measures indicate that anti-Israel sentiment is finding expression in local democratic processes — a trend Jewish advocacy groups in the diaspora will be watching closely.

The Forward's summary noted the results amount to "a nationwide repudiation of President Donald Trump," but cautioned that the sheer scale of the swing makes definitive readings difficult.

Sources

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