LANSING – There’s been a lot of worry as to whether Detroit’s congressional delegation will have any African-Americans after this year’s midterm elections.
But you could also ask … will it have any Jews?
For the past four years, Michigan has had two Jewish members of Congress, both Democrats: Andy Levin, who succeeded his legendary father Sandy Levin, and Elissa Slotkin, who has twice won a seat that had been designed to elect Republicans.
But this year, both will be running in districts that are substantially different. One, Andy Levin, is facing an unexpected primary challenge that could end his career, while Slotkin, as always , seems destined to have a tough battle to survive.
Meanwhile, the substantial Jewish population of Southfield is very likely to find that next year, they will be represented in Congress by a person many find anathema: Rashida Tlaib, a Muslim of Palestinian descent who repeatedly has attacked Israel for what she has called its “apartheid” and “racist” policies.
Why is all this happening — and how are things likely to turn out? Well, as you may remember from civics class, the law requires states to draw new congressional and legislative districts every ten years once the results of the newest census are known.
In the past, the Michigan Legislature always did this. But four years ago, a grass-roots citizens’ group called Voters Not Politicians succeeded in amending the state constitution. Redistricting was turned over to a new Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission controlled by no political party.
They were charged with designing districts that were close to equal in population, not gerrymandered to give any party an advantage and which kept communities with common interests together, so far as possible to do so.
Additionally, they had another problem: National population shifts meant that Michigan will lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, the sixth it has lost since 1980. That meant that no matter what, at least one current member wouldn’t be back next year.
Late surprises could be in store, but here’s an early look at how all this seems likely to impact Metro Detroit’s Jewish community:
Andy Levin: Since 2019, the 61-year-old Levin has represented Michigan’s old Ninth District, two-thirds of which is southern Macomb County. But the new map divided that territory between two districts. The Macomb County part is in a new 10th district, now seen as a swing district which either party could win in November, while his Oakland territory, including his home, is in a new 11th district, much of which has been represented by Haley Stevens, who was also first elected in 2018.
Levin immediately announced that he would run in the 11th district. But so did Stevens, whose situation is the reverse of his. Up to now, she has represented more of Oakland County than Levin, but she lives in Rochester Hills, now in the one tiny corner of the mostly Macomb 10th district. Members of Congress don’t have to live in the districts they represent, but she said she’d move. (Members of Congress don’t have to live in the districts they represent , but it is customary to have at least a mailing address there.)
That sets up a potential blockbuster battle between Stevens and Levin to win the August Democratic primary. Some feel Levin may have an edge because of his famous name and his family’s fund-raising abilities. But maybe not: In 2018, Levin won that nomination only because of Macomb County voters; he narrowly lost Oakland County to Ellen Lipton.
Whoever does win will be favored in this Democratic-leaning district in November, which likely contains more Jewish voters than all other Michigan congressional districts combined.
Elissa Slotkin, who was also first elected in 2018, has never had an easy election; she twice has had to raise huge sums — $7.5 million in 2020– to narrowly hold on to her seat.
That’s the case even though her foreign policy knowledge and experience are highly regarded; though only 45, she already has had a career as a CIA analyst and an Assistant Secretary of State for National Security Affairs. Nor is she likely to have an easy time this time, and she, too, is moving. Her home in Holly has been redistricted into a new 9th District that is solidly Republican.
She promptly announced she also would move, and run in a new 7th District centered in Lansing, much of which she has already been representing, and which includes heavily Democratic Ingham County, heavily GOP Livingston, and some other territory that usually leans Republican. Bottom line: Slotkin is likely to continue to have to fight hard every time she runs for the next ten years.
Rashida Tlaib and Southfield: It is unlikely that any of the four Democrats, four Republicans, and five independents on the redistricting commission imagined that Tlaib would be representing Southfield, Beverly Hills, Franklin, Livonia or any of the other cities this new 12th district includes. Currently, two members of Congress live in this heavily Democratic district: Debbie Dingell and Brenda Lawrence, now Michigan’s only Black member of Congress.
But Dingell, who has long lived in Dearborn, immediately said she would move to the new Ann Arbor-area centered district. And Lawrence surprised everyone by announcing she’d retire.
And then, hours later, Rashida Tlaib announced she would move to the district, which includes Dearborn and run there. Whether she will have any primary opposition wasn’t known, but any challenger may be daunted; she is now a national figure, and easily raised more than $4 million she assembled for the 2020 primary.
This is also not a district Republicans have any chance to win. But will Jewish voters accept her? Dan Steinhardt, a retired psychologist in Southfield, doesn’t think the situation is that dire.
“The Orthodox won’t be happy, and you might get some others ranting in letters to the editor.” But while he doesn’t always agree with Tlaib, he said he doesn’t have a big problem with her.
“ I think we have to consider that just as we have some people with over-the-top opinions (in favor) of Israel, you are going to have some with over the top opinions on the other side.”
Steinhardt said that Tlaib had a good reputation for providing constituent services, and noted that whatever her views, she wasn’t going to be making foreign policy. “Actually, I had more of a problem with her no vote on the infrastructure bill,” he said. “I resent it when people put their ideology over the nation’s needs.”
There may well be more surprises ahead — but for Jewish Detroit, this round of redistricting seems likely to have more impact than most. We won’t know the full picture until after Nov.8, but we do know it’s likely to be a bumpy, and very expensive, ride.
-30-
(Editor’s Note: A version of this column also appeared in the Detroit Jewish News.)
