Ex-Synagogue President Democrat’s Hope for Taking Back Senate

Representative Jacky Rosen of Nevada has her eyes on the prize that her party, the Democrats, can wrestle control of the Senate out of the hands of Republicans this coming November. There are not many places around the country where a change in party is even possible during the coming mid-term elections, so a lot of pressure rests on the shoulders of this 60-year-old former synagogue president from Henderson, Nevada.

The odds are solidly in favor of Republicans hanging on to their control, but in the case of Nevada, there is hope that Rosen can un-seat Senator Dean Heller, the incumbent.

Heller is a veteran politician who is a survivor. He was the only battleground-state Republican in 2012 who got through successfully a strong Democratic winning year fueled by the success of President Obama’s re-election.

So how did Rosen end up in a battle for control of the Senate seat in Nevada? Back in 2013 she was elected president of her synagogue, the largest in Nevada. Her election came to the notice of Democrats, and only three years later she won a congressional seat in a district where President Donald Trump triumphed by one percentage point. Now, just two years later, Rosen is ready to challenge Senator Heller.

“I’m going to try to give people someone to vote for instead of something to vote against,” Rosen said in an interview in Washington. “I believe I’m going to win this race.”

Gail Nussbaum

Gail Nussbaum has been involved in politics and diplomacy for over 15 years. Her interest in foreign relations, economics and budget policy has led her to her position as fiscal policy writer at Left Justified. Gail can be contacted at gailnussbaum(at)leftjustified.com.

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