I am an avowed centrist, neither MAGA nor woke. As such, I have never thought all that highly of either Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) or John Fetterman (D-Pa.). I have never understood Cruz’s outsized social media presence, but he ranks among the most-followed Senators (right up there with Bernie Sanders [I-Vt.]. Nor have I ever fathomed the admiration that Fetterman draws for his unconventional shorts-and-hoodies clothing decisions. But both have recently demonstrated uncommon courage within their respective parties, for which they deserve the gratitude of Jewish and pro-Israel voters.
As the scourges of antizionism and antisemitism continue to seep inward from the extremes of both parties, a notable and growing number of previously reliable pro-Israel stalwarts are hedging their longtime unconditional support for Israel and keeping quiet when their most intolerant and strident colleagues level threats against the Jewish state. Polls show that younger voters in both parties are much more skeptical of Israel than their parents and grandparents, which makes it easier for Democratic politicians to attach conditions on aid and for Republican candidates to espouse nationalist and isolationist language that aggressively questions the historic U.S. commitment to Israel.
Too many voices on both the left and the right disparage Israel for how its military has been deployed in Gaza, without raising similar questions about Hamas’ terrorism, which began and continues the war. And too few of Israel’s remaining supporters in both parties are willing to speak out against such vitriol. They tend to speak in subdued tones, minimize the scope of the disagreements and find other ways to minimize the attacks when they come from a member of their own party. But Fetterman and Cruz have not shrunk from this debate: both have been willing to push back hard even against their partisan colleagues.
Fetterman has blasted what he called a “rot” within the Democratic Party, citing what he described as its growing anti-Israel wing and arguing that his party should celebrate efforts to bring down the Iranian regime and its military and nuclear capabilities as a “positive development.”
The Pennsylvania senator points out that since leading Democrats have argued that Iran should never have the ability to get a nuclear weapon, criticism from the party of the joint U.S.-Israel efforts to degrade their military capabilities is hypocritical.
“Why can’t a Democrat call this a positive development given everything that Iran is responsible for and what their ambitions are?” Fetterman said. “This is effectively us destroying the Nazi regime and Hitler before they could’ve even begun. So … why is that a problem?”
Cruz has taken on an arguably even more powerful force in GOP circles, the ultra-conservative provocateur Tucker Carlson, whose own harsh denunciations of Israel have been amplified by his willingness to provide a platform for antisemites such as white supremacist Nick Fuentes, who told Carlson the major roadblock to American unity is “organized Jewry.” Carlson has also hosted conservative commentator Candace Owens, who said Israel is a “demonic nation” and an amateur historian who implied that Jews’ deaths in the Holocaust were a result of poor Nazi planning, not genocidal intent.
But while other leading Republicans such as Vice President JD Vance have ignored such bigoted screed, Cruz has gone right at Carlson.
“I believe Tucker Carlson is the single most dangerous demagogue in this country,” the Texas senator said. “I have seen more antisemitism in the last 18 months on the right than at any point in my lifetime,” Cruz continued. “It is being spread by loud voices, the most consequential of whom is … Carlson.”
Neither Cruz or Fetterman will ever hold higher office. Cruz has previously sought the presidency and is now positioning himself as a more traditional alternative to Vance in advance of the 2028 Republican primaries. But if the GOP decides to turn in an un-Trump direction, Marco Rubio and other potential contenders are much better positioned to emerge as viable options for party voters. Fetterman’s idiosyncrasies and his mental health struggles may prevent him from seeking Senate reelection in two years when his current term expires, and he must realize that both would be insurmountable obstacles to any serious pursuit of national office.
But both Cruz and Fetterman have audaciously confronted the loudest voices representing their parties’ ideological bases, putting themselves at considerable political risk. Their willingness to stand up to the zealots and the haters in their respective parties is a reminder that even in today’s hyper-polarized Washington, admirable principle can still occasionally emerge victorious over knee-jerk partisanship. Jews of both parties – and those of us with no party – should give both men the credit that they have earned as stalwart friends to our faith, our homeland and our people.
Dan Schnur is the U.S. Politics Editor for the Jewish Journal. He teaches courses in politics, communications, and leadership at UC Berkeley, USC and Pepperdine. He hosts the monthly webinar “The Dan Schnur Political Report” for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall. Follow Dan’s work at www.danschnurpolitics.com.
