Jewish Democrats fight for survival amid elections

Americans head to voting booths; candidates face "Republican resurgence" but Democrats expected to maintain senate majority.

By JTA
midterm elections_311 (photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
midterm elections_311
(photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
WASHINGTON -- Several Jewish Democratic incumbents are fighting for their political survival as Americans head to the polls.
Lawmakers under threat Tuesday in a midterm election cycle that has seen a conservative/Republican resurgence include US Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Reps. Ron Klein (D-Fla.), Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz), Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), John Adler (D-N.J.)  and Steve Kagen (D-Wis.).
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Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) appears set to lose his bid to win New Hampshire's open US Senate seat, as does Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, a Democrat.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) looks like she has beaten back a challenge from Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett Packard.
The results may open up new leadership opportunities in both houses.
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the minority whip in the US House of Representatives, is poised to become majority leader should Republicans retake the House, as is anticipated.
If Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) loses a hotly contested battle to conservative Tea Party-backed Republican Sharron Angle, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is likely to run for party leader in the Senate, where Democrats are expected to maintain their majority.