Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) is being accused by Democratic primary opponent Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) of “wielding his Jewishness as a ‘divisive tactic'” in the awkward race between the fellow party members.
The New York Times examined Jewish voters in New York and which way they are leaning with their votes, especially with Nadler being the sole Jewish congressman from New York City.
The Times noted Maloney has been campaigning on things like her vote against Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and her promotion of Holocaust education in a bid to win over Jewish voters. Maloney was shockingly blunt about Nadler in an interview, accusing the Democrat and his “allies” of wielding his Jewishness like a “divisive tactic,” according to the Times.
She did not specify how exactly Nadler’s religion is being “wielded,” but her line appears to be referring to the influence of identity politics, according to followup comments where she said Nadler is not running on actual ideas.
“It’s a strange way to run, it’s sort of like, ‘Vote for me, I’m the only woman, or I’m the only white person, I’m the only Black person,'” she said. “Why don’t you put forward your statement, your issues, what you’ve done and the merit you bring to the race?”
Maloney has been pulling out all the stops against 75-year-old Nadler, only weeks ago accusing him of sexism for asking her to step aside to let him take control of the district. She said the Democrat would not have treated a man the same.
“I said no because this district is majority mine,” she told the New York Post.
Planned Parenthood, HRC, and ASFCME each give her 100% ratings.