Reps. Greg Landsman, Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz could be more vulnerable as a result of new maps ahead of next year’s midterms
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) is interviewed by CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images in his Longworth Building office on Friday, November 3, 2023.
Triggered by President Donald Trump’s efforts to gain a partisan edge in the 2026 midterm elections, a cascade of states is undertaking unusual mid-decade redistricting efforts, in what has become a growing race between Democrats and Republicans to shore up incumbents, knock out lawmakers from the opposing party and create more-winnable seats.
On both sides of the aisle, the efforts could endanger a number of vocal pro-Israel incumbents.
In a handful of states that are looking to or have redrawn their congressional maps, some of the Democratic Party’s most prominent pro-Israel moderates could face uphill battles for reelection.
In Ohio, the state’s redistricting commission adopted new maps on Friday that would give Republicans a slight edge in Rep. Greg Landsman’s (D-OH) Cincinnati-area district. Under the old lines, the district was a Democratic-leaning seat that Vice President Kamala Harris won by three points, But under the new lines, Trump would have carried the district by a two-point margin, meaning Landsman will need to win a small number of Republican voters to win reelection.
Given that Landsman, a second-term Jewish Democrat who has been vocal on Middle East policy issues and a strong supporter of Israel, has proven to be a strong campaigner in past elections, the race is likely to remain highly competitive in an environment expected to be favorable to Democrats nationally in next year’s midterms.
The Cook Political Report moved the rating for Landsman’s district from “Likely Democrat” to a toss-up as a result of the redistricting.
In North Carolina, where Republicans have redrawn the state’s maps on several occasions this decade, the latest changes significantly modify the district held by Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) to heavily favor Republicans, further diluting the Democratic voting share in the moderate Democratic lawmaker’s district.
Davis has been among the most committed pro-Israel Democrats, frequently breaking with the majority of his party on the issue.
And in Florida, Republicans are considering efforts to pack Democratic voters into a smaller number of districts, potentially endangering several pro-Israel incumbents including Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL). One potential redraw could place Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz into the same district.
Both Wasserman Schultz and Moskowitz are Jewish and vocal pro-Israel stalwarts representing districts with significant Jewish populations, and Soto’s record is also strong.
A pro-Israel Democratic strategist told JI that “it’s a big problem. The Republicans are trying to say they’re pro-Israel and they’re targeting pro-Israel Democrats left and right. … These guys are stalwart champions and we don’t want to lose them.”
One possible Republican candidate considering a run in a newly drawn South Florida district is Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, who has been a strong supporter of Israel.
The strategist said that the redistricting efforts, as well as potential primary challenges to lawmakers such as Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), could endanger a series of notable pro-Israel House incumbents, though they also noted that other pro-Israel candidates could be poised to be elected elsewhere in the country.
“I do think it’s probably a little more nuanced because I think there are other people who will show up to replace them,” the strategist continued. “We’re going to win some, we’re going to lose some.”
On the Republican side, a series of GOP lawmakers in California with strong records on Israel and antisemitism could be impacted by the redistricting push, including Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) — who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on defense funding — as well as Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and David Valadao (R-CA).
Kiley has been a particularly outspoken voice against campus antisemitism from his perch on the House Education and Workforce Committee.
“[California Gov. Gavin] Newsom’s Prop 50 [redistricting effort] is a desperate partisan power grab that would eliminate five consistently pro-Israel Members of Congress and give more influence to Democrats that spread hate, division, and promote extreme anti-Israel policies,” said Republican Jewish Coalition National Political Director Sam Markstein.
































































